Arne Slot aims to clear up comments made about Liverpool's 2024 Europa League exit to Atalanta
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - JANUARY 28: Liverpool manager Arne Slot looks on before the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD8 match between Liverpool FC and Qarabag FK at Anfield on January 28, 2026 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)
Arne Slot looks on before the Champions League between Liverpool and Qarabag at Anfield on January 28, 2026(Image: Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)
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Arne Slot has aimed to clarify comments made about Liverpool's Europa League exit in 2024 under Jurgen Klopp - insisting his point was simply that Champions League qualification shouldn't be taken for granted.
The Reds secured their place in the knockout rounds of the Champions League on Wednesday night when a 6-0 win over Qarabag at Anfield meant they finished third inside the top eight behind only Bayern Munich and Arsenal .
It is the second successive season Liverpool have cruised into the knockouts and asked about qualification after the game, Slot, who remains under-fire over Premier League under-performance, referenced the 2024 Europa League exit to Atalanta under Klopp as a reason for why the last-16 of the continent's biggest club tournament should not be overlooked too easily.
The reaction to that answer, particularly on social media, saw Slot criticised in some sections but the head coach moved to explain what he meant by mentioning the 3-1 aggregate loss to Atalanta nearly two years ago.
"I think [online criticism] is part of the job, part of the thing we are living in," the Reds boss said. "I could come back to the Europa League thing I said. What I meant was that season they ended up third in the league and we are currently sixth so I didn’t want to make the point that it was a poor season.
"I only said we have achieved so much at this club but sometimes we also have to enjoy a moment like (qualifying in the Champions League). We cannot take those things for granted. And apparently, that line is drawn in a different context, or people make something else of it.
"That is part of the world we are living in but that season they ended up third and it is going to be a hell of a challenge to end up third so I didn’t want to win points or make points, I just wanted to say we cannot take anything like this for granted, even at this club that has such a great history.
"And for all the other things that are being said, that is what you have to accept if you are a manager that is not winning enough games."
Slot added: "I think I have tried to say certain things in a way that I didn’t want to say it, completely clear, hoping that people would pick up on what I meant by it, but unfortunately eight out of 10 times people didn’t took up the point I was meaning to say.
"I have tried to say many times that we don’t have a lot of injuries but still I am struggling, that for me implements something but no-one picks up on what we have implemented.
"So that is the difficulty of speaking a lot in the media, wanting to protect your players, wanting to protect everyone involved in the club, but the reality is that the Premier League has never been stronger like this, there have never been more teams that are competing up there in terms of points. .
"I just got the question how close everyone is together, but I think the aim for Liverpool has always been the same, winning the league and that has not changed, not last season, not this season and it will not change next season.
"But the reality is also that it is really difficult for any team in this league to win it – and sorry that it is even more nice we won it last season, how special that has been."
The Reds return to action when they entertain Newcastle United tonight (Saturday).