“The First Thing to Say…”: Arne Slot Reacts to First Champions League Draw
Liverpool face a daunting set of eight fixtures in the Champions League as they aim to reach the knockout stages, with Arne Slot describing the task as both “challenging” and “exciting.”
The Champions League draw, held on Thursday, provided a first glimpse of the new format, set to begin next month.
Liverpool have been handed a tough group, with matches against Leipzig (A), Real Madrid (H), Bayer Leverkusen (H), AC Milan (A), Lille (H), PSV (A), Bologna (H), and Girona (A).
Key matchups include the home games against Real Madrid and Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen, but Slot emphasizes that progression will rely heavily on results from the other matches as well.
Speaking to the club’s official website after the draw, the Dutchman said: “The first thing to say is it is a very challenging draw but also a very exciting one.
“And more important than anything, we are part of it – which means there is a lot to look forward to and also a lot of work to be done.”
Leverkusen and Real aren’t the only domestic champions on Liverpool’s schedule, but Slot is careful not to get ahead of himself.
He continued: “There will be a lot of focus on the fixture against Real Madrid at Anfield, and rightly so because they are the holders of the competition.
“But at the same time, there is so much quality among our other opponents that we will spread our attention evenly and take each game as it comes.
“PSV are a team I know really well, of course, and – like Bayer Leverkusen – they are champions of their own country, so the standard is very clear and it runs through all of the clubs that we will face.
“I could talk about each of them and what they will bring, but the time to do that is when the fixtures come around.
“For now, we will look forward and, as I said, keep working because there are a lot of games to come in the Premier League and in the Champions League, and the only way to approach them is one at a time.”
Liverpool have in the past encountered six of their upcoming opponents, but they are set to face Bologna and Girona for the first time in a competitive match – an exciting prospect for the fans.
The competition kicks off next month, with the schedule of games being released on Saturday. This means fans won’t have to wait long to start arranging their travel plans.
In other Liverpool news, Liverpool’s Strongest XI with Giorgi Mamardashvili and Federico Chiesa Completing Late Dash
