Arne Slot has urged patience after a disappointing week for Premier League clubs in the UEFA Champions League, saying it is too early to draw conclusions about English teams’ struggles.
None of the six English clubs won the first leg of their last-16 ties. Slot’s Liverpool FC suffered a 1-0 defeat away to Galatasaray, while Arsenal FC drew 1-1 against Bayer Leverkusen.
Elsewhere, Newcastle United held FC Barcelona to a 1-1 draw, but Chelsea FC and Tottenham Hotspur suffered heavy defeats. Chelsea lost 5-2 to Paris Saint‑Germain, while Tottenham were beaten by the same scoreline by Atlético Madrid. Meanwhile, Manchester City fell 3-0 away to Real Madrid.
Slot calls for calm
Speaking ahead of Liverpool’s league clash with Tottenham, Slot said judging the strength of the Premier League based on one round of matches would be premature.
He pointed out that several English teams were playing away from home, which often makes the first leg more difficult.
Slot also mentioned that the absence of a winter break in England could affect teams’ performances during the busy season, though he did not blame it directly for the results.
According to the Liverpool manager, facing elite opposition in the last 16 means matches are often decided by very small margins.
Second legs could change the picture
Slot emphasised that the situation could look very different after the return legs next week. He noted that in the 2022-23 Champions League season, no English side won the first leg of their round-of-16 ties either, yet Chelsea FC and Manchester City still progressed to the quarter-finals.
For Slot, the focus remains on improving Liverpool’s performance rather than analysing broader trends too early.
He said that when teams reach the Champions League knockout stage, every opponent is strong, making close contests inevitable.
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