Liverpool defender Virgil Van Dijk has bad news for fans of the Senegal national team.

Van Dijk, who is at the World Cup with the Netherlands, spoke about his old Liverpool teammate Sadio Mane's fitness.

The Senegal winger is struggling to recover from a leg injury to ensure he is available for his team's group stage games.

Regarding former team-mate Mane, Van Dijk told reporters: “It's going to be tough if he plays or not.

"I don't think he will play, but Senegal have a fantastic team.

"Of course (I have spoken to him). I was feeling sad for him, first and foremost. I'm not happy in this case and I've been in that situation where I missed the Euros. We as players work so hard to get to this stage and he has been such an important figure for his country.

“I know for a fact that he will put a brave face on it, but it's tough and I feel sorry for him. I just want to tell him that whether he plays or not, it's going to be such a tough game."