Liverpool manager Arne Slot prioritizes player rest over securing first place in the Champions League standings. Learn why key players are missing the PSV match.
Liverpool to Rest Key Players for Champions League Clash Against PSV
Liverpool manager Arne Slot has decided to rest several key players for their final Champions League group match against PSV Eindhoven.
With their place in the last 16 already secured, Slot believes giving players a break is more important than maintaining their top position in the standings.
Star players like Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah, and Alisson will not travel for Wednesday’s game.
Others staying behind include Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahima Konate, Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Luis Diaz.
Liverpool is currently leading the Premier League and remains in both the FA Cup and League Cup, meaning they have many big games ahead.
Slot emphasized the need for rest, saying, “I think we are playing, like all the teams in Europe, many, many, many games, and these players have already, so all the ones that are left behind could have played tomorrow.”
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Finishing First or Second Doesn’t Matter
While Liverpool has won all seven of their matches in the competition so far, they could still be overtaken by Barcelona if they lose to PSV.
However, Slot is not too concerned about their final position, as it won’t impact their next opponent in the round of 16.
“It took me a while to understand this new format,” Slot admitted. “But now I can say I’m 100% sure that it doesn’t matter at all if we end up first or second. We will play a side between 15th and 18th place, and then in the end, it’s a draw which team we are going to face.”
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Liverpool Still Aiming for a Win
Despite making changes to the squad, Liverpool isn’t going into the game with a losing mindset. “A very wise man once said to me, I’ve never seen anything good coming from losing a football game,” Slot said. “We are not going into the game trying to lose. We will do everything we can to win it, of course.”
PSV, currently 19th in the standings with 11 points, needs at least a draw against Liverpool to secure their spot in the playoffs. While Liverpool’s lineup will be different, they still aim to maintain their winning momentum.
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