Liverpool’s Arne Slot says loss to PSG ‘best game’ he has been part of

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot feels the second-half Champions League loss against Paris Saint Germain is the best game he has been part of. The Reds registered a 1-0 win in the first half after Harvey Elliott scored in Paris. However, the Parisians bounced back in the second half as Ousmane Dembélé found the back of the net at Anfield on Wednesday.

PSG then won 4-1 on penalties as Gianluigi Donnarumma saved spot kicks from Darwin Núñez and Curtis Jones. However, Slot reckons they dominated in the first 25 minutes of the game and played at a high level but despite that, they conceded in the 12th minute.

“It was the best game of football I was ever involved in,” Slot told reporters after the match. “I don’t have the history that Liverpool has as a manager but it was two teams at an incredible level. It was an incredible intensity in the first 25 minutes.

“I also remember the first 25 against Manchester City at home and the first 25 against Real Madrid but this was unbelievable, what we showed in the first 25. But I looked at the scoreboard and we were 1-0 down.

“Over 90 minutes, I don’t think we deserved to lose this game of football. Over 180 minutes, maybe it was deserved that we went to extra time. In extra time, I thought maybe PSG were a bit better than us, and then it comes down to penalties and we lost.”

Liverpool have been a dominant force this season as they have lost a solitary match in the Premier League. Furthermore, they topped the Champions League league phase, winning seven out of their eight matches.

“Of course, it’s a shock and it’s maybe not the moment to tell [the players] now but last season we weren’t involved in the Champions League, the season before we went out losing 5-2 to Real Madrid at home. So if you have to go out, then go out in a way that we did against one of the best teams in Europe, making such a fight out of it.

“For us, it’s so unlucky that if you are No.1 in the [league phase] table that you then face PSG who are one of the best teams in Europe, but that’s the format we are in. We have to accept it and we will come back stronger next season.”

Liverpool will take on Newcastle United in the EFL Cup final at the Anfield on Sunday.

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot feels the second-half Champions League loss against Paris Saint Germain is the best game he has been part of. The Reds registered a 1-0 win in the first half after Harvey Elliott scored in Paris. However, the Parisians bounced back in the second half as Ousmane Dembélé found the back of the net at Anfield on Wednesday.

PSG then won 4-1 on penalties as Gianluigi Donnarumma saved spot kicks from Darwin Núñez and Curtis Jones. However, Slot reckons they dominated in the first 25 minutes of the game and played at a high level but despite that, they conceded in the 12th minute.

“It was the best game of football I was ever involved in,” Slot told reporters after the match. “I don’t have the history that Liverpool has as a manager but it was two teams at an incredible level. It was an incredible intensity in the first 25 minutes.

“I also remember the first 25 against Manchester City at home and the first 25 against Real Madrid but this was unbelievable, what we showed in the first 25. But I looked at the scoreboard and we were 1-0 down.

“Over 90 minutes, I don’t think we deserved to lose this game of football. Over 180 minutes, maybe it was deserved that we went to extra time. In extra time, I thought maybe PSG were a bit better than us, and then it comes down to penalties and we lost.”

Liverpool have been a dominant force this season as they have lost a solitary match in the Premier League. Furthermore, they topped the Champions League league phase, winning seven out of their eight matches.

“Of course, it’s a shock and it’s maybe not the moment to tell [the players] now but last season we weren’t involved in the Champions League, the season before we went out losing 5-2 to Real Madrid at home. So if you have to go out, then go out in a way that we did against one of the best teams in Europe, making such a fight out of it.

“For us, it’s so unlucky that if you are No.1 in the [league phase] table that you then face PSG who are one of the best teams in Europe, but that’s the format we are in. We have to accept it and we will come back stronger next season.”

Liverpool will take on Newcastle United in the EFL Cup final at the Anfield on Sunday.