Liverpool manager Arne Slot said his side’s Champions League exit again laid bare a season-long struggle to turn chances into goals, after being eliminated by Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) following a 0-2 home defeat on Tuesday that sealed a 0-4 loss on aggregate.
Despite enjoying 53 per cent possession and having 21 attempts to PSG’s 12 and eight corners to the visiting side’s two, it was PSG which found the net as Ousmane Dembele struck twice in the second half to confirm the defending champion’s place in the semifinals.
“Unfortunately, it’s one of the many examples of this season where we weren’t able to score from the many chances we had,” Slot said.
“Again, we were so far underperforming in terms of xG (expected goals of 1.94), and that is just an ongoing thing with us throughout the whole season.”
Slot also pointed to a contentious VAR decision that saw a penalty given for a foul on Alexis Mac Allister overturned and a potentially serious injury to France forward Hugo Ekitike, adding to Liverpool’s sense of disappointment on the night.
“Another intervention of the VAR which was not in our favour, and that’s also not for the first time this season,” he said.
“Then of course we are very disappointed, because I think there were parts in the second half where you could just feel that if we can score now, this is going to become a special night.”
Slot handed a first start to Alexander Isak since the Sweden international suffered a broken leg in December and said the striker’s return underlined what his team have missed.
“He was twice close to a goal, and that’s why you play a striker of his level,” the Dutch coach said. “If I thought he wasn’t ready, I wouldn’t have played him.”
Slot said Isak’s absence had been a factor in Liverpool’s difficulties in front of goal this season, but he remained optimistic about the future.
“The future looks very bright for this team, for this club, because we’ve shown we can compete with the champions of Europe and be the dominant team in our stadium,” he said.
“Not many teams can be dominant against Paris Saint-Germain and generate so many chances, as we did. But, yeah, chances is one thing, scoring is a second.”
Liverpool, which is fifth in the Premier League as it tries to qualify for next season’s Champions League, visits rival Everton for the first time at its new stadium on Sunday.
Published on Apr 15, 2026
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