Slot Says Liverpool Owe Strong Performance Against Galatasaray to Fans
Liverpool are in the Round of 16 in the Champions League. They have an FA Cup quarter final to play on April 4th. As things stand, they’re fifth in the Premier League table—but just two points back of an Aston Villa side in free fall and knowing fifth this season is nearly certain to qualify for the Champions League in any case.
That doesn’t tell the entire story of the 2025-26 season, of course, but if the goal this season was always to win silverware while re-qualifying for Europe’s premier cup competition, well, that goal is remains a possibility. Few would put money on it being achieved given this side’s struggles, but for all that’s gone wrong this season, the goals the season kicked off with can still be achieved.
A draw or defeat to Galatasaray at Anfield in the second leg of that Round of 16 Champions League tie, with the Reds heading into the match down a goal, would almost entirely close the door on that. No pressure, then.
“That this is a massive game for us requires no explanation,” embattled head coach Arne Slot noted ahead of kickoff. “Having worked so hard to reach this stage of the competition, we want—and need—to continue our journey, particularly after falling short in our attempt to qualify for the quarter-finals last season.
“This is not our only motivation, although it is clearly big enough in itself. We also have to put right what was wrong at the weekend and also in other games this season. We owe this to ourselves and to our supporters and this, in my view, is as big a motivation as ever. A lot has been said about the reaction of our fans to our draw against Tottenham and all I can say is I get it.
“I get it from the point of view of disappointment at points being dropped, I get it in terms of frustration at conceding another late goal, and I get it about elements of our performance in general. Our job now is to use that frustration in a positive way. This has to focus minds and heighten our desire to perform and deliver.”
It’s easy perhaps to say the right words, but that doesn’t change that they are the right words. And this is sport, after all. Stranger things have certainly happened than a title winning group under a title winning head coach re-discovering a pathway to making it all work after an extended spell of frustration and disappointment.
A year ago, these players were winning the Premier League. A year ago, all of Slot’s decisions were paying off. It’s felt rather as though nothing has since, and to follow up a title win by winning nothing and failing to re-qualify for the Champions League—while playing some very bad football, no less—would seemingly have to lead to significant changes.
Perhaps, at this point, a positive outcome—advancing past Galatasaray here, overcoming Paris Saint-Germain next, beating Manchester City in that FA Cup quarter final, and all the rest—isn’t what you would be on. But it isn’t impossible. For at least one more match, a successful season remains possible.
“After the support we have received throughout a season that has become more challenging than any of us could have expected, we owe it to our fans to produce for them,” Slot added. “We also owe it to ourselves.”
Fingers crossed.
Source: liverpooloffside.sbnation.com
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