Van Dijk has made me a better player, says Liverpool's Lovren

Soccer Football - Champions League Semi Final Second Leg - AS Roma v Liverpool - Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy - May 2, 2018 Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk and Dejan Lovren celebrate after the match Action Images via Reuters/John Sibley

(Reuters) - Liverpool centre back Dejan Lovren says playing alongside Virgil van Dijk fills him with confidence as the pair prepare for the ultimate challenge of stopping Real Madrid's famed forward line in Saturday's Champions League final in Kiev.

They have forged a strong partnership since an injury to Joel Matip thrust them together at the heart of a Liverpool defence that began the season in a collective wobble.