Arne Slot warns PSG that Liverpool and Anfield 'will be ready' for Champions League return
Liverpool manager Arne Slot has issued a warning to Paris Saint-Germain, stating his team and the Anfield crowd will be "ready" for Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final second leg. The Reds face a daunting task, needing to overturn a 2-0 deficit from the first leg in Paris last week. Slot's comments came following a morale-boosting 2-0 Premier League victory over Fulham on Saturday.
Speaking in a press conference, the Dutch tactician acknowledged the challenge but emphasized the team's improved mindset. "The supporters will be behind us and the players will give everything they have to turn the situation around," Slot said. He explained to Sky Sports that his squad is in a "better situation than it was two or three days ago, or a week ago, but everything does not become perfect all at once after a victory."
The first-leg defeat at the Parc des Princes was a significant setback in Liverpool's European campaign, placing immense pressure on the return fixture. Slot, who succeeded Jürgen Klopp last summer, stressed the physical demands of the schedule, with the match being Liverpool's third in six days. "We will have to be at the top physically, which is not easy, but I can tell you that we are ready for that, we are prepared for that and Anfield will be ready too," he added.
The weekend's domestic win, secured with goals from Cody Gakpo and Darwin Núñez, provided a necessary lift after a difficult period of results. Pundit Jamie Redknapp, analysing the Fulham match for Sky Sports, suggested Slot would be "delighted and proud of his team" and should "enjoy the moment" as they chase a top-four Premier League finish alongside their European ambitions.
Historically, Anfield has been the stage for several famous European comebacks, including the 4-0 victory over Barcelona in the 2019 semi-finals after a 3-0 first-leg loss. Slot will be hoping to channel that iconic spirit against a PSG side featuring Kylian Mbappé. The French champions, however, have received a boost with the news that key midfielder Warren Zaïre-Emery is expected to be fit for the match after an injury scare.
For Slot, this tie represents one of the biggest tests of his nascent Liverpool tenure. Progressing to the semi-finals against the odds would mark a major statement, while elimination, though expected given the deficit, would allow the club to focus fully on securing Champions League qualification for next season via the Premier League. The atmosphere at Anfield is anticipated to be fervent, with the club's supporters playing their traditional role as the proverbial twelfth man in a bid to inspire another historic night.
