{"id":1079108,"date":"2019-03-17T12:26:07","date_gmt":"2019-03-17T12:26:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?p=1079108"},"modified":"2019-03-18T11:02:13","modified_gmt":"2019-03-18T11:02:13","slug":"van-dijk-materazzi-world-best-defenders","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/news\/van-dijk-materazzi-world-best-defenders\/","title":{"rendered":"No Virgil van Dijk: Materazzi names Serie A equivalent in his top three defenders in the world"},"content":{"rendered":"

Former Inter Milan and Everton defender Marco Materazzi\u00a0has omitted Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk from his list when naming the three strongest defenders in world football.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Van Dijk has had a stellar campaign with the Reds and has improved the club’s defensive frailties since arriving from Southampton in January 2018.<\/p>\n

Should Van Dijk have made Materazzi’s list ? Five things you need to know\u2026<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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  1. Liverpool signed Van Dijk for \u00a375m from Southampton in the January transfer window of 2018.<\/li>\n
  2. Since then the Dutchman has made 58 appearances for the Reds, scoring four goals.<\/li>\n
  3. Van Dijk has been absent for only 35 minutes of Premier League football during the current campaign.<\/li>\n
  4. The defender has won 141 aerial duels this season, the most among his Liverpool team mates.<\/li>\n
  5. The Dutchman is also one of only\u00a0three outfield players to play at least 1,000 minutes in Europe’s top five leagues without being dribbled past.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    https:\/\/audioboom.com\/posts\/7198658-man-city-s-trademark-goal-is-usually-finished-by-raheem-sterling<\/p>\n

    The Dutchman has even been mooted to clinch the PFA player of theYear Award at the end of the season, as Liverpool challenge for a first title in 29 years.<\/p>\n

    As well as being a rock in Jurgen Klopp’s defence, the burly 27-year-old can also make his imperious presence felt at the other end of the pitch, which he did again midweek in the Champions League against Bayern Munich.<\/p>\n

    However, is conspicuous effect on Liverpool’s fortunes has apparently not registered with Materrazzi, who has other ideas when it comes to judging the world’s best defenders.<\/p>\n

    “I think that right now, among the strongest centre-backs are [Kalidou] Koulibaly, Sergio Ramos and [Alessio] Romagnoli,” he told Suning PPSports TV, as reported by Calcio Mercato<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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    Only three outfield players to play at least 1,000 minutes in Europe's top five leagues this season have not been dribbled past by an opponent.<\/p>\n

    Virgil van Dijk is on the longest unbeaten run. ? pic.twitter.com\/oHbtpe35t9<\/a><\/p>\n

    — Squawka (@Squawka) March 15, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n