Arne Slot insisted that his Liverpool staff will look to win quite than defend their 1-0 lead towards Paris Saint-Germain of their Champions League final 16 tie on Tuesday.
Harvey Elliott’s 87th-minute strike snatched a victory for the Reds on the Parc des Princes within the first leg, having been dominated by PSG for a lot of the contest.
Certainly, Liverpool gained the match regardless of having 25 fewer photographs than PSG, the joint-largest adverse distinction in photographs by a successful staff on file (from 2003-04) in a Champions League knockout stage sport (PSG v Bayern Munich in April 2021 additionally 25).
And after dropping their first European assembly with the Parisiens in April 1997 (0-3 within the Cup Winners’ Cup semi-final first leg), Liverpool have solely misplaced considered one of 4 towards them since, successful three of them.
And Slot mentioned that his gamers have been out for one more victory over the French aspect this time round to succeed in the quarter-finals of the competitors for the primary time since 2021-22.
“We attempt to win each sport,” Slot advised reporters on Monday. “We wish a distinct sport (than final week) and our intentions are the identical. We don’t desire a draw. We wish the ball as a lot as we will.”
Slot additionally confirmed that Cody Gakpo can be again accessible, having missed three of Liverpool’s final 5 Premier League video games because of an ankle harm.
Gakpo has impressed within the Champions League this time period, with solely talisman Mohamed Salah (seven) registering extra objective involvements than the Dutchman (4).
Following their assembly with Luis Enrique’s aspect, Liverpool tackle Newcastle United for the primary piece of silverware in English soccer within the EFL Cup closing on Sunday.
The Reds additionally prolonged their lead on the Premier League summit to fifteen factors after coming from a objective right down to beat backside membership Southampton, with second-placed Arsenal held to a 1-1 draw at Manchester United on Sunday.
Slot, nonetheless, laughed off solutions that he was dreaming of lifting silverware in his debut season on Merseyside this week.
“No, you don’t dream, it’s important to work actually onerous to organize the staff one of the simplest ways,” he mentioned. “I attempt to do that each sport.
“When you will have a sport like final week (at PSG) you marvel if you happen to may even sleep.
“I don’t dream this week. We’re centered, and the week began off effectively on Saturday, and now we stay up for tomorrow. Everybody seems ahead to a sport like this.”
“The end result (within the first leg) was ours, however the efficiency was for them. We’re 1-0 up, and it offers us confidence; the efficiency (offers PSG confidence).
“That is essentially the most full staff we have now confronted to date. They’ve a lot high quality with a fantastic coach (Luis Enrique). He lets them play in a means that isn’t straightforward to play towards; (their) work-rate is unimaginable.”
