Liverpool have exited the Champions League at the quarter-final stage after a 2-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain at Anfield sealed a 4-0 aggregate loss.
The Reds fashioned several chances and saw an Alexis Mac Allister penalty overturned by VAR, but it was not to be as a trophyless season was confirmed for Arne Slot’s side.
In worrying scenes, Liverpool striker Hugo Ekitike was also stretchered off in the first half with what appeared to be a serious lower-leg injury.
PSG, meanwhile, advance to the semi-finals where they will face either Bayern Munich or Real Madrid.
Slot disappointed by result
In his post-match press conference, Slot expressed disappointment at the result.
“I have to give a lot of credit to the players, how hard they worked. I have to give a lot of credit to our fans, how they helped us tonight to execute our game plan,” he said.
“Unfortunately, it’s one of the many examples of this season where we weren’t able to score from the many chances we had.
“Again, we were so far underperforming in terms of xG and that is just an ongoing thing with us throughout the whole season.
“And add to that, as it seems to be, a bad injury [to Ekitike], we don’t know for sure yet. Add to that another intervention of the VAR which was not in our favour, and that is not for the first time this season.
“Then, of course, we are very disappointed because I think there were parts in the second half where you could just feel that we can score now and this is going to become a special night.”
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Ekitike injury ‘really bad’
Asked about the extent of Ekitike’s injury, Slot was pessimistic.
“It looks really bad, but it is difficult for me to say how bad,” the Dutchman admitted.
“We will investigate this further, how bad this is for him. Let’s see, but that it doesn’t look good is clear.”
Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konaté added: “I’m very sad for him. I think it is bad. I don’t know.
“I heard many things, but I don’t want to talk about that because with the World Cup, all of the things coming this summer, it’s very hard for him at this moment. I send him my prayers and everything.”
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Reds rue penalty decision
While speaking to Amazon Prime after the match, Slot gave his thoughts on the penalty decision, saying: “I’m not surprised as so many decisions have gone against us this season.
“It’s quite simple. If the referee doesn’t give a penalty, the VAR would have never overturned it.
“I’ve seen so many soft penalties given but people say VAR can’t interfere because there is contact. That is what we clearly see.”
Konaté then echoed his manager’s thoughts: “For me, it was a clear penalty.
“I was behind the referee. If we get the penalty and score, it would have been completely different.”
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Enrique highlights PSG ‘luck’
PSG head coach Luis Enrique was understandably more positive in the aftermath of the quarter-final clash.
“Liverpool played a fantastic game, real intensity,” the Spaniard noted in his press conference.
“In the second half, when things turned around, things got even tougher for us. We showed what kind of team we are, Liverpool showed what kind of team they are too. It was a great quarter-final.
“Good luck is important. Had we conceded a goal early in this game, it would have been difficult so you need things to go your way.
“They had to take a lot of risks and that meant we could launch a counter-attack and kill the match off. It took us longer than I would have liked for us to do that. I would have liked us to do it earlier.
“We knew they would create problems for us, we knew we would have to suffer at times. Liverpool definitely deserved to score, I think, over the course of the game.”
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