Liverpool FC v Paris Saint-Germain FC - UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Quarter-Final Second Leg
Arne Slot’s decision to start Liverpool striker Alexander Isak against PSG raised eyebrows (Picture: Getty)
Dietmar Hamann has questioned Arne Slot’s explanation for starting Alexander Isak against Paris Saint-Germain, claiming he has ‘never heard anything like this’ in football before.
Isak had not started for the reigning Premier League champions since as far back as December after undergoing surgery on a serious ankle injury which included a fractured fibula.
The 26-year-old had managed only two substitute appearances – in Liverpool’s previous clash with PSG and against Fulham – since his return, but Slot decided to throw his record signing in from the off at Anfield on Tuesday night.
The decision backfired on the Liverpool head coach, though, with Isak making a total of just five touches as the Merseyside giants failed to overturn the two-goal deficit from the sides’ first quarter-final meeting in Paris.
Isak’s ineffectiveness and clear lack of fitness forced the hosts into an early change as Cody Gakpo came on in place of the former Newcastle striker at the halfway stage.
The substitution did little to affect Liverpool’s fortunes, however, with Ousmane Dembele scoring twice in the second period to ensure Luis Enrique’s men advanced through to semi-finals with a 4-0 aggregate victory.
Facing the media shortly after the final whistle, Slot insisted Isak was ‘ready’ to be included in the Reds’ starting XI despite his exit at the midway point.
Liverpool FC v Paris Saint-Germain FC - UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Quarter-Final Second Leg
Isak managed just five touches before coming off for Gakpo (Picture: Getty)
Liverpool FC v Paris Saint-Germain FC - UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Quarter-Final Second Leg
A late double for Dembele sealed Liverpool a comprehensive quarter-final win (Picture: Getty)
‘I said before the game that if you go to extra-time and he plays the second half and plays 45 minutes, there are only two minutes in between before extra time comes up for half an hour,’ the Dutchman told reporters.
‘I don’t think that was realistic. To play him for 45 minutes and see at half-time how he feels to add five to ten minutes to that, that was a possibility today.
‘But because we already had to make the first substitution in the first half, I didn’t want to make the second substitution five minutes after half-time. That’s why I took him off at half-time.’
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On his shock decision to start the Sweden international, Slot continued: ‘He was twice close to a goal and that’s why you play a striker of his level.
‘There was one header from a set-piece and one great run in behind [Willian] Pacho where he was really close to scoring which was eventually offside. It’s good to have him back.
‘He was ready and if I thought he wasn’t ready then I wouldn’t have played him.
‘If you compare us today to last week, I think it’s fair to say he was completely ready to play otherwise you can’t play a first half as we did, although the second half was even better.’
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‘I’ve never heard of anything like this’ – Hamann was baffled by Isak’s selection (Picture: Getty)
Fans and pundits alike were left puzzled by Isak’s surprise selection given the forward had only been used twice off the bench in Liverpool’s two previous contests.
Giving his reaction on Sky Deutschland, ex-Liverpool midfielder Hamann went a step further, claiming Slot’s explanation for starting the attacker was unprecedented and made next to no sense.
Hamann said: ‘He hasn’t played for three months and then he comes up against the best team in Europe and suddenly he should play. And Slot doesn’t want to bring him on because he might not be able to play extra time…
‘I have to be completely honest: I had the utmost respect for the man, but I’ve never heard of anything like this.
‘I don’t know if something like this has ever happened before. Probably, but not in the Champions League.’
Liverpool must quickly regroup and lick their wounds, with attentions immediately turning to what is set to be a tough Merseyside derby away to Everton in only four days’ time.
The Reds will be desperate for a morale-boosting win over their bitter rivals after a wretched run of six defeats in their last ten games in all competitions.
Despite their miserable form, though, victory at Hill Dickinson Stadium could see Slot’s men rise to as high as third in the Premier League table.
Should Slot still be in charge of Liverpool next season?
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