Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has once again provoked the ire of the club's supporters after suggesting that reaching the Champions League knockout stages is a significant achievement, citing the team's Europa League exit two years ago as a benchmark. The Dutchman made the comments following Liverpool's 6-0 thrashing of Qarabag at Anfield, which secured a top-three finish in the league phase and direct qualification to the last 16.
Slot told reporters: 'We are happy that we are going straight away to the last 16, especially because it's only two years ago that we were playing Europa League and we went out in the quarter-finals against Atalanta. So, two seasons in a row now being in the last 16, and last season we were very hungry for more and we will definitely be hungry for more this season as well.'
The reference to Atalanta, who knocked Liverpool out of the Europa League in the 2023-24 season, angered many fans who felt it diminished the club's recent history. Liverpool had reached the Champions League final three times in five seasons under previous manager Jurgen Klopp. One supporter said: 'Every single time he speaks he's trying to lower our standards. I remember us reaching three CL finals in five seasons.' Another added: 'Now he’s just disrespecting Klopp with quotes like this. The man who gave him the best welcome he could have received and built him a team to win the league.'
This is not the first time Slot's comments have caused friction. He previously stated that fans needed to temper expectations because Liverpool have won only two league titles in three decades, and claimed he had little to prove after winning the Premier League in his debut season. The former Feyenoord boss has been keen to defend his record, but his remarks have not endeared him to a fanbase accustomed to sustained European success.
