Arne Slot pays tribute to 'incredible' Liverpool as he rues side's 'bad luck'
Liverpool's European ambitions were left in the dust as the Premier League's runaway leaders were dumped out of the competition by PSG on penalties after losing the second leg at Anfield
by John Cross · The MirrorArne Slot said Liverpool played the game of their lives but still crashed out of the Champions League.
Liverpool duo Darwin Nunez and Curtis Jones both had their penalties saved by PSG hero keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma in the shoot-out. It finished in heartbreak for Liverpool but Slot insisted it was rough luck on his players because they delivered a brilliant performance in a European thriller.
Liverpool boss Slot said: “It was the best game of football I’ve ever been involved in. I don’t have the managerial experience of Liverpool. But it was an incredible performance and I don’t think we deserved to lose in 90 minutes.
“Of course it was a shock but if you have to go out then go out to one of the best teams in the world. I hope every fan around the world was hoping the game would go on and on. It is very bad luck to finish top of the Champions League table and then face Paris Saint Germain.”
Liverpool duo Ibrahima Konate and Trent Alexander-Arnold both limped out injured and Slot is concerned ahead of the Carabao Cup final on Sunday.
Slot added: “Ibrahima had to come out but I think that was tiredness but it did not look good for Trent. We will have to see now.”
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk said: "It was a very intense great game of football, I think to be part of it as well. It was totally there for Liverpool and what we showed in Paris and unfortunately were out on penalties and that is the reality.
"I think in the first half we created dangerous moments and they have the quality as well, and then it comes down to penalties.
"It's part of football, I said to the guys, obviously, you can be disappointed because we're out of the competition, but chin up and get ready for the next challenge, a beautiful one on the weekend.
"I think we were pretty good today as well, and you want to go as far as possible, but we knew when we drew PSG it was going to be very difficult. We saw in Paris when we struggled but we won, and today we saw a very good Liverpool side but we're out of the competition.
"Today from the first second and then extra time, when fatigue kicks in for both sides, it becomes more open but especially regular time, we showed a very good game.
"We can speak about the game for ages but we're out of the competition, that is the reality."
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Sky Sports deal
Sky Sports launches discounted Premier League package
£35 (was £43)
Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle in an unbeatable new deal that saves £192 and includes 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.