Slot sanguine after Liverpool exit in ‘best game of football I’ve ever been involved in’

Arne Slot described Liverpool’s Champions League exit as the finest game of his career after Paris Saint‑Germain stunned Anfield with victory in a penalty shootout.

The Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma proved the decisive figure in the last-16 second leg with penalty saves from Darwin Núñez and Curtis Jones. The game had gone to extra time and penalties after Ousmane Dembélé’s winner cancelled out Liverpool’s first‑leg lead from Paris. PSG converted all four of their penalties in a flawless shootout display.

Slot admitted he was shocked by Liverpool’s exit but could not have asked for more from his team. “That was the best game of football I’ve ever been involved in,” the Liverpool head coach said. “Two teams of an incredible level and intensity, it was unbelievable what we showed in the first 25 minutes. Over 90 minutes I don’t think we deserved to lose. Over 180 minutes maybe it was deserved that it went to overtime and in overtime I thought maybe PSG were better than us. Then it comes down to penalties and they scored four.

“Of course it is shock but if you have to go out, go out the way we did against one of the best teams in Europe and by making such a fight of it. I hope every fan around the world was hoping this game wouldn’t stop because it was incredible. For us it is so unlucky to finish No 1 in the group and then face PSG.”

Liverpool are likely to be without Trent Alexander-Arnold for the Carabao Cup final against Newcastle on Sunday after he was forced off with an injury. Ibrahima Konaté was also withdrawn but Slot confirmed that was due to fatigue.

Luis Enrique, the PSG head coach, hailed the victory as a momentous step for his team as they attempt to win the club’s first Champions League title. “I think it is really significant moment for us, for the players and the supporters,” he said.

“Either of the two teams could have gone through. We both deserved to go through but we deserved it slightly more, especially in the first game.

“We showed what sort of team we are. We have huge strength of character, personality, and we are a team who go out to play their own football.

“There were times when Liverpool had the upper hand and were slightly better than us but we never gave up attacking and we put in a top performance, which was what we needed to do. The first game belonged to Alisson, the second game belonged to Donnarumma.”