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Liverpool moved into the Champions League last 16 with a 6-0 win over Qarabag at Anfield, yet Arne Slot used the result to strongly defend personal criticism. The Liverpool manager argued that some media reactions to recent comments were unfair and ignored crucial parts of Slot's explanation.
The victory marked Liverpool's biggest success under Slot, with the team responding after a difficult domestic run. Liverpool sit sixth in the Premier League and had gone five league games without a win before facing Qarabag, yet Slot insisted the season could still become memorable in several competitions.
Alexis Mac Allister scored twice, while Florian Wirtz, Mohamed Salah, Hugo Ekitike and Federico Chiesa also found the net. The result confirmed Liverpool's
place in the Champions League knockout phase. It followed last season's league title, achieved after Liverpool exited the Champions League to Paris Saint-Germain on penalties in the last 16.
That earlier European exit became a central topic after Slot suggested the reduced schedule "might" have helped Liverpool's title push. The remarks drew questions because Liverpool were already 15 points clear in the Premier League, with only nine games left, when losing to PSG, who later won the Champions League that season.
"Can I come back to something I said yesterday.I used the word might,' Slot began. Might, might, but not everyone is listening to[that word]; losing to PSG might have helped us. I meant we did not face injuries after that. People want to make my world more ridiculous. This club has been hitharder with injuries. "
Slot argued that parts of the original answer were removed from wider debate. When Slot was asked whether comments had been distorted, the Liverpool manager underlined how longer answers sometimes lead to selected phrases being highlighted and other key details overlooked in coverage.
"Not a little bit, a lot, Slot then responded when asked if his assessment had been taken out of context. I dont follow all of it, but sometimes you hear certain things. If you give long answers, then they miss a certain word andpeople start having an opinion about it. I have always tried to be myself and give long answers in a different language.I am not going tochange, not going to onlysay yes or no, this is who I am. "
Slot's belief that Liverpool were badly affected by injuries this season formed a major part of that defence. The manager stressed that fitness problems were more severe than during the run-in last season, when Liverpool closed out the Premier League title after their exit against PSG.
"Thats for other people to judge, Slot replied when asked if his achievements deserved more respect. I think in football, it works the same every time. If you are a football player and you dont play in a team that is losing, then everyone thinks that player on the bench is much, much better than who is playing. And its a little bit the same with managers. If managers are losing, there are always better managers in and around the world. But I think Ive shown that in the years that I have been a manager, there has not been a season that has not been special. Theres still a lot to play for to make this season special as well, but its on other people to decide if they want to be negative, not up to me. "
We have qualified for the Champions League last 16, with Liverpool now balancing European progress and a Premier League recovery. Slot maintains that the campaign still offers many targets, yet accepts outside opinion will depend on results rather than context or injury lists.
| Team | Opponent | Score | Competition | Key Scorers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liverpool | Qarabag | 6-0 | Champions League group stage | Alexis Mac Allister (2), Florian Wirtz, Mohamed Salah, Hugo Ekitike, Federico Chiesa |
We have qualified for the #UCL last 16 pic.twitter.com/oXSt7SM94ELiverpool FC (@LFC) January 28, 2026
