Liverpool relishing tough PSG meeting
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has claimed that its UEFA Champions League Round of 16 opposition Paris Saint-Germain is one of the best teams in the world ahead of their meeting on Thursday (AEDT).
Slot has taken Liverpool to the top of Premier League, while it also topped the UEFA Champions League league phase table, but he insists there is no room for complacency against PSG, which has won 18 games in a 22-match unbeaten run in all competitions.
Slot said that Liverpool had to embrace big games, while he was looking forward to facing a team with a similar style to his own.
"We could only face PSG or Benfica and anyone who watches football knows we would probably have preferred to face Benfica," he said.
"If you play for Liverpool, you want to play in the big games. We have to accept the draw and both teams have a tough fixture.
"PSG is one of the strongest teams in Europe, I think everyone agrees. It is a great fixture to look forward to. Both teams have scored a lot of goals, like to have the ball. There are a lot of similarities."
Slot, meanwhile, was praised by PSG's head coach Luis Enrique, who also suggested that Liverpool was one of the best teams in Europe. Despite this, Slot remained unfazed.
"My thoughts aren't on these things. My thoughts are on PSG, then Southampton and then the second leg," he said.
"It is a nice compliment to get but the best team in Europe has to win the [UEFA] Champions League. We are far away from that with a very difficult game tomorrow and then if we get through, for the rest of the competition."
Liverpool's head coach also repaid the favour to Luis Enrique, while also recognising the form of PSG's top scorer Ousmane Dembele, who has scored 26 goals in 33 matches in all competitions this season.
"Luis Enrique has done a lot of things here very well. He created a team that I assume he is happy with, in terms of individuals and collectively," Slot said.
"[Dembele] brings quality to the team. Both teams have attackers in great form, scoring a lot of goals. This team was in the semi-finals last season and in my opinion, this team is even better."
