On Tuesday night, an unhappy Arne Slot expressed his frustration, admitting he was “far from pleased” with his team’s performance, even though Liverpool secured a 1-0 win over Girona to maintain their perfect Champions League record with six victories out of six.
A second-half penalty from Mohamed Salah ensured the Reds kept their unbeaten streak alive, effectively sealing their progression to the knockout stages. However, Slot was critical of the display, stating, “If you ask me about all six games, I’m very pleased with the results overall and happy with our first five performances. But tonight’s performance was far from satisfying.”
He elaborated on his concerns, adding, “What didn’t please me? Quite a lot.
When you play against a team with such a strong understanding of football and their ability to build from the back, like Real Madrid or Manchester City, you must be incredibly intense to disrupt them. But we were slow to press, and that gave them far too many opportunities. Honestly, I feel sorry for Girona because they deserved more from the game.”
Slot also praised Liverpool’s goalkeeper, Alisson Becker, for his heroics, crediting him with saving the team multiple times. “We have an incredible goalkeeper. Every time we lost possession, we weren’t aggressive enough, and Girona could advance almost unchallenged to take shots on goal. We lacked control throughout the game. The second half was slightly better, but I’m really trying to be optimistic here.”
He humorously remarked on Alisson’s workload, saying, “I joked that maybe the players wanted to test how fit he truly is, given how much they made him work tonight. But once again, he showed why he’s been so vital for this club for so many years.
In my opinion, he’s the best goalkeeper in the world, and I hope he can maintain this form and, more importantly, stay fit.”
Despite the criticism, Slot acknowledged the importance of the win but stressed the need for improvement, particularly in maintaining control and intensity against high-quality opponents.