LONDON: Arne Slot says Liverpool need not fear at Parc des Princes as he prepares his Premier League (EPL) favourites for a blockbuster Champions League clash against Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).
The Slot team took a step forward in their bid for their first Champions League crown since 2019 when they faced PSG in the first leg of the last 16, early this Thursday morning.
The six-time European champions lost both of their previous visits to PSG in 1997 and 2018.
But Liverpool have only lost four times in all competitions this season and once in the Champions League – meeting PSV Eindhoven in the final group stage match, when they already qualified for the last 16.
The Reds emerged as league champions with seven wins from eight matches, including a 2-0 victory over defending champions Real Madrid, and were also dominant on the domestic stage.
Inspired by the greatness of Egyptian striker Mohamed Salah, Slot’s men are 13 points ahead at the top of the EPL as they approach a record-equalling 20 English championships.
Liverpool can clinch their first trophy of the Slot era when they face Newcastle in the League Cup final at Wembley on March 16.
With 20 wins, the Reds have won more league games than any club in Europe’s top five leagues so far this season.
After a recent slump, Liverpool are back on track with two 2-0 wins over Manchester City and Newcastle, which have allowed them to move closer to EPL glory.
They also benefited from not playing last weekend before the PSG match due to being knocked out early in the FA Cup.
No wonder Slot explained that Liverpool had no reason to be nervous about their visit to Paris.
“Are we afraid of PSG? We’re not afraid of anyone. But I’m impressed by their quality, they’re on a similar upward curve to us at the moment,” he said.
“I don’t think teams like Liverpool, Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona, Real Madrid are afraid of their opponents.
“But of course we respect them and there’s a reason for that. They’ve won too many games in a row and they’ve got too many quality players.”
Like Liverpool, PSG are also closing in on the French title, leading by 13 points after 24 games unbeaten in Ligue 1 this season.