Writing in today’s programme notes, Arne Slot says: “Everyone in football was impressed with what Leverkusen did last season. To become champions of Germany is a wonderful achievement in itself but to do so without losing a single game makes it even more remarkable.
“They also had to show all of the characteristics of champions. There were games in which they were dominant, games in which they were not at their best but still found a way, and games in which their quality was so high that it was impossible not to view them as one of the strongest teams in Europe.”
The Liverpool coach also had plenty of praise for Xabi Alonso: “Of course, a lot of this is down to their head coach, Xabi Alonso, someone who I know does not need any introduction to our supporters, who recall him with incredible fondness for what he did as a player at Liverpool.
“I was not a Liverpool supporter but I have always been a football fan and anyone from my generation who falls into this category would share this admiration. Xabi was a top-class player and he is proving himself to be of the same level as a manager.
“I would like to welcome him back to Anfield and I know that in doing so I will be in tune with the feelings of everyone who is inside the stadium tonight. In doing this, though, we are all aware that there will be no sentimentality from him and this means that there cannot be any from us.
“The maximum respect we can give any former player is to be the best Liverpool that we can possibly be, with no quarter asked and no quarter given.”
