Liverpool manager Arne Slot said playing against Real Madrid “brings out the best” in his players after the Reds produced an impressive performance to beat Los Blancos 1-0 in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Trent Alexander-Arnold’s first trip to Anfield since leaving the club he joined as a boy dominated the pre-match conversation, but it was Alexis Mac Allister who finally grabbed the headlines, heading in the only goal of the game on the hour mark from a Dominik Szoboszlai free-kick.
The scoreline perhaps flattered the visitors from Spain, who had goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois to thank after the Belgian made a series of great saves in both halves to prevent an even bigger score.
The victory was important for Arne Slot and his players. It was the first time they had achieved consecutive victories since September and ensured their place in the top six of the Champions League standings.
Regarding the result, Slot said: “[I am] very happy. It’s been a complicated few weeks for us. Many away games and hardly any rest between games.
“But it helps when you can play in front of these fans and against [Real] Madrid because that brings out the best in my players.
“[It was a] Great performance against a team that has lost once this season. It could have been a little more maybe but he [Courtois] He made some saves close to him and he is one of the best goalkeepers in the world.
“I said before the game, they [Real] He has scored 26 goals in LaLiga and [Kylian] Mbappé and Vinicius [Jr] Altogether they have scored 24 goals. So if you want to have any chance of winning this game, you need to make sure these two are off the scoresheet. “The whole team defended very well.”
Slot admitted that his team had had problems facing teams that adopt different playing philosophies, but added that his team “has to make sure that, against whatever style of play we face, we can win the game.”
The Reds boss also reflected on the criticism that came his way after a run of six defeats in seven games in all competitions.
“It’s better to win games than lose them as a coach,” Slot said.
“Life as a coach if you lose is not the best because it just takes all your time because you really want to change it.
“But you also try to be the same person, the same coach that you are when you win.
“Everyone has an opinion, sometimes right, sometimes wrong. All I can do is tell them [the players] my opinion hoping it is strong enough for you to believe me.
“We have lost too many points in the Premier League. We need to do better and that is what we are going to try. There are still many games ahead to prove it.”
Next up for Liverpool is a trip to the Etihad to face Manchester City on Sunday.
