Arne Slot Addresses Konate’s Fitness, Salah’s Social Media Post, and Xabi Alonso Ahead of Leverkusen Match

Liverpool manager Arne Slot addressed reporters ahead of the Champions League match against Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday at Anfield, scheduled for an 8:00 PM GMT kick-off. The following are the main points from his press briefing. Defender Ibrahima Konate is “completely recovered” and cleared to play, having sustained an injury during Saturday’s game against Brighton. Striker Mohamed Salah, whose contract is nearing its conclusion, shared a social media post after scoring against Brighton, concluding with the statement: “No matter what happens, I will never forget what scoring at Anfield feels like.” Slot commented: “Mo is in a very good place at the moment. As long as he’s been at Liverpool he’s been in a good place, but this season as well.” He further stated: “I’m hoping he will post after tomorrow and on Saturday again. The only thing that is important for me is how he plays and what he tells me when we have conversations. That’s what matters and not how you guys [reporters] interpret one of his posts.” When questioned about Salah’s potential to maintain his current performance level, the Liverpool manager responded: “There’s no reason at the moment to think he is dropping in terms of his level. I can’t tell you what the future will look like. What age is Cristiano Ronaldo at the moment? He’s still doing well. Lionel Messi is still incredible.” He then remarked with a smile: “But there are also players, like me, who weren’t as good when they were 33 than when they were 26. I regressed a bit earlier than Ronaldo and Messi.” Slot characterized Tuesday’s fixture as a “big European tie, which is almost always the situation if you play in the Champions League”. The Dutch coach indicated that a primary factor contributing to the game’s importance is “because of what Xabi Alonso did for Liverpool, especially in Europe, but maybe more because of how he manages Leverkusen and how strong they are”. Slot further stated: “Last season they were incredible. This season they are still the same and just as good, but a bit more unlucky when it comes to results.” Regarding his view on what makes former Liverpool midfielder Alonso “special” as a manager, Slot remarked: “If you go to a club bottom of the league and with the same players you bring them all the way up – and, without spending that much money in that summer, have a season where they only lost the final of the Europa League – it tells you that he’s special. What it is that makes him special is difficult for me to say because I haven’t faced him yet and I haven’t worked with him. But he’s worked with very good managers in the past and he played at the highest levels, so that all contributes to why he is such a good manager.”