UCL final marquee matchup: Van Dijk faces monumental task vs. Ronaldo

The sight of Cristiano Ronaldo vying for a header against Virgil van Dijk will undoubtedly flash on millions of screens as broadcasters capture Saturday's Champions League final between Real Madrid and Liverpool. Experts in the air and cool under pressure, they are likely to come up against each other more than any single pairing on the pitch.

Now that Ronaldo is more of a striker and the key source of Madrid's offence, it's up to the Dutch defender to keep his team from falling prey to the Portuguese.

Van Dijk's calming influence

Since arriving at Anfield as the game's most expensive defender, Van Dijk has singlehandedly restored confidence in Liverpool's otherwise shaky backline.

The accusations mounted as the Reds leaked goals to even the mildest of opposition. Before Van Dijk, no lead was safe. Slip-ups and lapses in concentration allowed opponents clear shots at goal, virtually neutralising the effect of Liverpool's own dynamic attack. Watch the defensive breakdown in the 4-1 defeat to Tottenham last October, or the slack marking that allowed Arsenal to steal a point in December.

That indiscipline has disappeared. The team facing Madrid on the weekend is starkly different from the one that stuttered through the first half of the season.

Now that Van Dijk is heading away free kicks and clearing corners, Liverpool can play with more confidence and - dare we say it - soak up pressure before going on the counter-attack.

Not only will Van Dijk be asked with commanding the line, he'll also have to support Dejan Lovren and Trent Alexander-Arnold against the tyrannical runs of Ronaldo and Marcelo. Madrid's deadly duo often terrorizes opposing right-backs, and while Alexander-Arnold silenced Manchester City's Leroy Sane to great effect, he is still inexperienced. And there's still a nagging feeling that Lovren, despite his improvement over the past few months, will make yet another mistake.

Ronaldo will pop up in different spots

But any team facing Madrid must account for more than just Ronaldo. Whether it's Karim Benzema starting beside the Portuguese superstar, Gareth Bale on the opposite wing, or Isco tucked behind as the No. 10, manager Zinedine Zidane has enough attacking options to unnerve the most responsible defenders.

Despite enduring one of the worst statistical seasons of his career, Benzema remains a threat. He continues to free up Ronaldo while preoccupying centre-backs. Benzema often forces defenders to follow him, which then creates space for Ronaldo to either go one-on-one or lash a shot on goal.

Ronaldo will also test Liverpool's high line - a product of Klopp's famous Gegenpressing.

As a result of his transformation into a purer centre-forward, the 33-year-old has veered offside more often this season than in any previous campaign for Madrid. That's not just a sign of clumsiness, but of a player who's willing to push the boundaries of the defence. He's a more direct player than ever before, and that means Van Dijk, as the de facto general of Liverpool's backline, will have to monitor just how high Liverpool is playing. Because Ronaldo still has the pace to run free at goal when provided the opportunity.

Having already played against Ronaldo earlier this year with the Netherlands - and to great effect - Van Dijk at least has an idea of what to expect.

"I need to deal with him, like the rest of the team needs to deal with the other players who have a lot of quality," Van Dijk told LFCTV earlier this week.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)