Liverpool’s coach Arne Slot says PSG is the most complete team they’ve faced this season.
Liverpool has been unstoppable in the English Premier League and Champions League this season, but PSG has given them a real challenge, shaking their confidence. According to Slot, they haven’t faced such a strong team until now.
The first leg of the Champions League Round of 16 match took place last Wednesday at PSG’s stadium, where Liverpool was nearly overwhelmed by the attacking force of the French side. However, they fought on, holding off wave after wave of attacks. Goalkeeper Alisson Becker’s exceptional performance with 9 saves kept them in the game, and in the final moments, substitute Harvey Elliott scored a dramatic winner, securing the victory for Liverpool.
After the match, Slot admitted that at one point, he had almost given up on winning.
Although Liverpool won, the battle isn’t over. The second leg will take place on Tuesday at Anfield, and before the match, Slot made it clear that to defeat PSG, Liverpool will need to surpass all of their previous performances this season.
“Yes, I think we need to show our best performance of the season,” Slot said. “This is the most complete team we’ve faced this season.”
“Of course, we’ve played against Arsenal and Manchester City. There’s not much difference with PSG, but the intensity with which PSG plays, combined with their quality, makes them stand out. To be honest, we’re talking about the richest club in the world. Their quality is exceptional, and they have a fantastic manager who brings out the best in every player and creates unbelievable effectiveness within the team. That’s why we must be at our very best.”
Liverpool, 15 points ahead of the second-place team in the Premier League, seems poised to win the title. In the new-format Champions League group stage, they topped the standings, but against PSG, they appeared disjointed.
Slot again gave credit to the opponents. He remains confident that Liverpool can perform better in the second leg.
“They’re such a complete and well-coached team, and we experienced that last Wednesday. Some people said we played badly, but I disagree. They played brilliantly.”
“We haven’t faced a team like this this season, but we can definitely do better. I’m not saying we played terribly or didn’t play well, but we are a better team than we showed. With the support of our fans, we must prove that tomorrow (Tuesday).”
