Arne Slot has challenged his Liverpool squad to seize a “second chance” in their Champions League quarter-final first leg against Paris Saint-Germain tonight, following a bruising week for the Merseyside club.
The Reds travel to the Parc des Princes reeling from a 4-0 FA Cup exit at the hands of Manchester City, a result that prompted captain Virgil van Dijk to publicly question the team’s fighting spirit.
Slot dismissed suggestions that his players had “given up” at the Etihad, instead praising his captain’s firm reaction as the club battles to save a season that sees them currently sitting fifth in the Premier League.
The visitors are bolstered by the long-awaited return of record signing Alexander Isak, who is included in the matchday squad for the first time since suffering a fractured fibula in December.
While Isak is expected to start on the bench, Slot believes the Swede can play a pivotal role against a PSG side he described as “almost impossible to improve upon” under Luis Enrique.
The tie is a high-stakes rematch of last season’s Round of 16 encounter, which the French champions won on penalties after a dramatic two-legged struggle.
Midfield star Florian Wirtz, a marquee summer arrival, insisted the dressing room remains fully behind Slot despite a run of just one win in their last five outings.
With the Premier League title out of reach, European glory represents Liverpool’s final path to silverware and a guaranteed seat at next season’s top table.
