Slot calm about English struggles in Champions League

Liverpool manager Arne Slot says it is too early to be “jumping to conclusions” about why Premier League clubs struggled in the Champions League this week.

None of the six English clubs managed to win the first legs of their last-16 ties, with the Reds being beaten 1-0 at Galatasaray.

Arsenal drew 1-1 at Bayer Leverkusen, Newcastle United held Barcelona at home by the same score, Chelsea and Tottenham both lost 5-2 at Paris St-Germain and Atletico Madrid respectively, and Manchester City were on the end of a 3-0 defeat at Real Madrid.

“To jump to a conclusion after one gameday, I think that’s such a small sample size, that’s never the smartest thing to do,” said Slot. “Maybe, after next week, we will have a completely different conclusion.

“In general, it’s not helpful for English clubs not to have a winter break. I’m not saying all these teams lost because we don’t have a winter break.

“Why [the lack of victories]? Because you are facing, in the last 16 of Europe, some very good teams. And, four of the five [other] teams in the Champions League played away from home.

The most recent season previously in which no English side won the first leg of their last-16 tie was 2022-23. On that occasion, two of the four – Chelsea and Manchester City – still advanced to the last eight.

And Slot indicated that judgement should be reserved this time too.

“Let’s first judge us all after next week and maybe even then it’s still too early to jump to conclusions,” added Slot, speaking before his side play Tottenham (16:30 GMT) in the league on Sunday.

“If you are in the Champions League last 16 then all the teams are very good and strong teams. The margins were, in all the games I saw and in ours, really small. We didn’t deserve to lose.