VIRGIL VAN DIJK has revealed he’s proud to have played for Celtic in his early career, and it set him up well for what would come later down the road.
The Dutchman will be back in Glasgow on Wednesday night to face The Rangers at Ibrox in the Champions League. The big defender never got to play at Ibrox because The Rangers were still in the lower leagues when Virgil played at Celtic. He did, however, play them at Hampden.
Speaking to The Scotsman, ahead of the tie van Dijk played up his past with Celtic and how it helped him: “It was my first time going abroad, my first time winning trophies, and all of those things were massive to me. They shaped me, how I am as a person. I have my daughter who was born there. So many good memories that I will cherish forever so it will be great to go back and I hope we will get the win as well.”
Virgil has won the English Premier League and Champions League since leaving Celtic. The defender also making the club a good chunk of money in the process.
The player credits playing at Celtic for ultimately making the decision to move to Liverpool. The connection with supporters and the club in the community two big reasons why he loved Celtic and why the Anfield club was appealing.
He said: “At Celtic, the pressure was immense. If you draw you’ve lost. You had to win and that was something, that mentality, I definitely learned. But it was also learning how to play the British style with more direct, channel balls, a lot of fighting, headers. It was something I wasn’t really used to in Holland so it definitely helped me in order to be ready for my next step in the Premier League.
“Celtic was 100 per cent similar to Liverpool and that is maybe one of the reasons that I picked Liverpool [in 2019] as well. I really feel that my step to Celtic was something based on a feeling with the fans, the club, the community and that it really feels like it is a way of living at Celtic.
“I am really proud of being a part of Celtic and Liverpool.”
Celtic have their own Champions League tie in Glasgow this week when Leipzig comes to town. Ange Postecoglou is looking for his first win in the competition while Liverpool are looking to complete a double over the Ibrox side.
It’s certainly been a learning curve for both Glasgow clubs, Celtic being a bit more unlucky not to have three points on the board
