Today is Liverpool manager, Arne Slot’s birthday as well as his first UCL game as Reds boss.
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| Liverpool manager, Arne Slot, at his press conference ahead of the Uefa Champions League 2024/25 League Phase match against AC Milan at San Siro on Tuesday 17 September, 2024. Photo: @LFC |
The Dutchman said, “I think it is the first time that my birthday is not so important tomorrow! It’s a big game also it’s the first game.”
Slot was born on 17 September, 1978 in the Netherlands. He turned 46 today.
AC Milan will welcome Liverpool at San Siro for their Uefa Champions League 2024/25 League Phase opener on Tuesday 17 September, 2024 at 20:00 (WAT).
At his press conference ahead of the European clash, Arne Slot said:
On his first game in charge of Liverpool in the Champions League coming on his birthday…
“I think it is the first time that my birthday is not so important tomorrow! It’s a big game also for me, but it’s a big game for us too because it’s the first game [of the Champions League] and it’s the next game and the next game is always the most important one, as you know. But because of the history that these two teams have and the venue where it’s played in – it’s one to look forward to.”
On facing AC Milan and whether there is anything to be ‘scared’ of…
“I don’t know if the translation is correct but the word ‘scared’ was used, if I was scared for some players, or for us in Milan. I don’t think any manager or any team is scared to play the other team but we have a lot of respect for the quality and the players and the history of Milan. The first one that comes to my mind is a Dutch player – Tijjani Reijnders – who has done really well over here and also for the Dutch national team last week. So, they have quality players. We’re not scared but we do respect all of their players because they have shown last Saturday that they are in good form. They had a very good 4-0 win. So, we respect Milan a lot, but ‘scared’ is not the word we would use.”
On the new Champions League format and how many points may be required to qualify…
“I think it is difficult for me to tell you now how many points are needed because it’s the first time we play this competition and it’s eight games. I’ve been in Europe for a few years with my former clubs and sometimes we went through to the next round, I think one time with six or seven points and we ended up number one in the group. It’s difficult to say before you start, but I think it’s clear if you want to end up in the first eight you have to win a lot of games and you need a lot of points. What I think about the format, that’s also something you can ask me better in the end.”
