Coach Arne Slot clarified his controversial comments after Liverpool's 6-0 victory over Qarabag, stating that his words were twisted and misunderstood. The 47-year-old coach emphasized that he was not pleased about losing to PSG and that he wanted to advance further in the competition. "I used the word 'could', but clearly not everyone listened carefully," he said. "I was not happy to lose to PSG. I wanted to go far with that squad because we were strong enough to win the champions league. And domestically, we fully deserved to be champions."

The controversy began during a press conference on 27/1, before the final group stage match of the champions league. Slot had suggested that Liverpool's loss to PSG in the round of 16 "could" have been one of the reasons they won the Premier League title in the 2024-2025 season, as the team gained more preparation time between matches.

This statement was quickly interpreted by many fans as Slot being satisfied with the team's elimination from the European competition, drawing widespread criticism for the Dutch coach. Legend Steven Gerrard also expressed outrage, describing Slot's remark as a harsh blow to the fans. "Liverpool was 15 points ahead at that time," the former English midfielder commented on TNT Sports. "In my opinion, the Premier League title was almost decided. Saying that being eliminated helped the team is very difficult for fans who have supported the club to accept."

Coach Arne Slot celebrates after Liverpool's 6-0 victory over Qarabag at Anfield, Liverpool, England on 28/1. Photo: Reuters

Slot explained that his true intention was to highlight the personnel factor. "If you are the strongest team in the league, you need players to be ready," he continued. "This season shows that when you play too many matches, injuries are unavoidable. After being eliminated by PSG, we did not encounter injury problems, and that is what I meant."

Slot also countered the argument that Liverpool had significantly distanced itself from the rest of the league. "At one point we were 15 points ahead, but for most of the season, the team only led by about 8 points. If three, four, or five injuries had occurred then, things could have been different," he stated.

Nevertheless, Slot admitted he could have expressed himself more clearly. The Dutch coach affirmed: "We wanted to advance in the champions league. But for this club, personnel shortages make things more difficult compared to competitors. That is what I meant, but it was misunderstood."

At Anfield on 28/1, Liverpool thrashed Qarabag 6-0 with goals from Florian Wirtz, Mohamed Salah, Hugo Ekitike, Federico Chiesa, and a brace from Alexis Mac Allister. This result secured Liverpool's third-place finish with 18 points, trailing only Bayern (21) and Arsenal (24), thus advancing directly to the champions league round of 16.

Despite being pleased with the result, Slot acknowledged that this performance might not alleviate doubts if Liverpool fails to maintain form upon returning to the Premier League. Their next challenge is against Newcastle on 31/1. Liverpool recently lost 2-3 at Bournemouth and has now dropped to sixth place.

"The goal when entering the champions league was to reach the top 8 to avoid two additional playoff rounds, and we achieved that," Slot expressed. "There was clear improvement compared to the loss against Bournemouth, but with all due respect, Newcastle will be a stronger opponent than Qarabag."

According to Slot, Liverpool needs to maintain consistency to reduce pressure. "If we play well at both ends of the pitch, every opponent will face difficulties. But showing that once is not enough; it must be maintained over many matches," he emphasized.

Hong Duy (according to Daily Mail, ESPN)