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Champions League triumph just start - Van Dijk


Virgil van Dijk has said that Liverpool's Champions League triumph is the beginning of a new era for the club.

Liverpool secured their first trophy under Jurgen Klopp with a 2-0 victory over Tottenham on Saturday in Madrid.

"This is just the start," Van Dijk told reporters at the Wanda Metropolitano. "It's not like we're going away. In July, we start again. Everyone starts even, and we go again.

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"We're going to try everything we can to be challenging for the [Premier League] title, challenging for the Champions League, but also for the [domestic] cups.

"We definitely want to have these nights more often, but it's not easy, and the only thing to do is keep believing, keep working hard, stay humble -- and I think we'll definitely be doing that."

Van Dijk, named Man of the Match, said he believes Liverpool have the right age mix to be regular trophy challengers.

"We've got young guys, we have experienced guys, we have players there who can be playing for the next, hopefully, three to four years together at least," he added.

Liverpool missed out on the Premier League title by a point as Manchester City secured the crown on the final day of the season, and Van Dijk said it had been key to bounce back.

"If we didn't get anything, then we would definitely be disappointed because of the way we played during the whole season. We deserved something," he said.

"To be able to win the Champions League, the biggest club competition in football, is something special. To write history for this group of players, the staff, all the fans and everyone who was involved, is something to be proud of. In the end, to lift the trophy was incredible."

Van Dijk said Klopp ensured that his players felt responsibility to everyone associated with Liverpool.

"We want to keep working hard for all of the fans but also for our teammates, for everyone working in the club," he added.

"The people at Melwood [training ground], for example, the people who work at the stadium, everyone who is connected with Liverpool, you want to make them proud, and the manager definitely put that in our heads even more.

"The togetherness -- I've never really experienced it like this. It's very special."

