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Virgil van Dijk subtly warned Lionel Messi and Barcelona after Liverpool's loss in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final.
Barcelona won 3-0 at Nou Camp on Wednesday night, thanks to goals from Messi and Luis Suarez who put the La Liga champions under control.
Liverpool produced a rousing performance, but their hard work was apparently canceled by Messi's two goals in the second half.
However, Van Dijk seems to be hoping for an impressive comeback before the return leg at Anfield next week and says Messi "won the battle but not the war".
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Speaking in front of the Spanish Sport outlet, the Dutch defender said: "When you meet Messi and that he produces his best form, you can not do anything.
"I am grateful not to be in Spain and not to be confronted with him each season.
"He scored two goals and I'm very disappointed, he won the battle but not the war."
In another interview, Van Dijk added: "3-0, it sounds very bad. Looks like we had a shock, but we created a good chance against them and should have scored at least one.
"So it would be a totally different feeling from what we have now, but we have to take it as it is.
"I know it will be very difficult to come to Anfield. We must all believe, I will certainly, then we will see. "
Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool coach, said he was "very proud" of his team's efforts in Barcelona.
Asked what he had said to his players in the locker room after the defeat, Klopp replied, "I said I'm really proud of them, that I really liked the game.
"They do not have to think about the next game against Barcelona, we are now playing in Newcastle, that's all our goal.
"We go to the hotel, we sleep well, we get up in the morning, take a flight home and then we get ready for Newcastle.
"Whatever happens, these boys, I could not be more proud of them."
On Saturday, Liverpool will face an undefeated Newcastle United team in the Premier League since April 6.
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