Georginio Wijnaldum backs Virgil van Dijk to help lead Liverpool to Champions League final

Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum has backed Virgil van Dijk to be instrumental in getting the Reds to the Champions League final.

Jurgen Klopp's charges lead Roma 5-2 after the first leg of their semi-final and will meet either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich in Kiev if they can see the tie out on Wednesday.

Netherlands star Van Dijk has impressed in the Liverpool backline since becoming the world's most expensive defender in January, and his teammate for club and country is not surprised by his exploits.

"I'm not surprised with how Virgil has played," the midfielder told The Mirror. "I knew how good he was. I think you can say that since he came here it has gone a lot better for us defensively.

"I thought he was the right player, but you have to prove it. A lot of people were not sure because it was a lot of money, so Virgil had to show how good he is.

"He will be important in Rome because he speaks a lot and tries to help the defenders around him. He is a leader in that way."

Liverpool last reached the Champions League final in 2007, losing to AC Milan two years after their memorable comeback against the same opposition in Istanbul.