“It’s true that I pay a lot of attention to him” - Barcelona star opens up on admiration for Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk

Barcelona star Pau Cubarsi has admitted that he watches the Premier League and likes learning from Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk. He praised the Dutch defender and stated that he has an incredible physical presence and is a leader on the pitch.

Speaking to Diario SPORT, Cubarsi claimed that things have changed at Barcelona and defenders are not as powerful as they used to be in the past. He stated that the role has evolved and he pays attention to what Vin Dijk does on the pitch.

He said Barca Universal:

“Times change, many generations have passed that were different, and today’s center-backs aren’t as powerful as those from before, who had long hair and were the classic defenders. It’s evolved, and now we’re different. Yes, I love watching the Premier League and I admire Van Dijk. An incredible physical presence, one-on-one defending, leadership. Honestly, I pay attention to him a lot.”

Liverpool's Van Dijk has been touted as the best centre-back in the world right now, while many pundits believe that he is the greatest of all time.

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Barcelona star Pau Cubarsi wants to stay amid interest from Liverpool's rivals Chelsea

Chelsea have shown interest in signing Barcelona star Pau Cubarsi, but the Spaniard has no plans to leave the club. He stated that his contract renewal sees him stay until 2029 but he focuses on the current season and nothing more.

He said via Barca Universal:

“Right now, after the renewal, I’m here until 2029, but the focus is on today, finishing this season, and we’ll see about the ones after."

Talking about winning titles at the club, Cubarsi added:

"I don’t know, we’ll go game by game, that’s what matters, we’re in good form now, and we hope it keeps going so we can achieve something. Winning the Supercopa title was one of the best days of my life, winning my first title with Barça is something magnificent, especially with the team, almost all from La Masia, who went out to play, to compete. This year being able to compete for La Liga, the Copa, and the Champions League—we’ll go all out, we’re really motivated, and winning one of those would be something magnificent."

Liverpool are looking for long-term replacements for Virgil Van Dijk, who is at the end of his contract at the club. Barcelona's Pau Cubarsi could come into the picture if he keeps doing well and the club need to sell to stay within LaLiga rules.