Virgil van Dijk has compared the scale of Liverpool’s task against Paris Saint-Germain to Barcelona in 2019 but conceded belief may not be as strong in Arne Slot’s team amid an “unacceptable” season.

Liverpool require another remarkable Anfield comeback to salvage their Champions League aspirations after losing the first leg of their quarter-final against PSG 2-0 on Wednesday. The scoreline flattered the Premier League champions, who were outclassed at the Parc des Princes, yet Van Dijk is “100%” convinced the tie can be transformed on home soil. Memories of Barcelona in 2019 fuel the captain’s conviction.

Jürgen Klopp’s side were 3-0 down after the first leg of their semi-final against Lionel Messi’s Barcelona but won 4-0 on an unforgettable night at Anfield en route to winning the European Cup for a sixth time. Ousmane Dembélé’s wastefulness in Paris, where he missed an almost identical chance to his stoppage time effort at the Camp Nou seven years ago, offered another parallel for Liverpool to cling to.

“Back then, you play one of the best teams in Europe, with obviously one of the best players ever in that team and we had injuries,” Van Dijk said. “And now we play against...