Liverpool manager Arne Slot lavished praise on Alisson Becker after the Brazilian goalkeeper delivered a stunning performance to deny Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League. Slot, who admitted his team was second best for large parts of the contest, described Alisson as the best goalkeeper in the world following his heroics at Parc des Princes.
Alisson, reflecting on his display, acknowledged it might have been the finest of his career. The goalkeeper produced nine crucial saves to frustrate PSG, who dominated possession and created a host of clear-cut opportunities. His contribution was not limited to shot-stopping, as he also played a role in Harvey Elliott’s late winner, which secured an unexpected victory for the visitors.
“I have worked with some very good players as a manager, but never before have I had the best goalkeeper in the world,” Slot said. “Tonight, he showed why he deserves that title. To leave here with a win was probably more than we deserved.”
Former goalkeeping great Peter Schmeichel, on commentary duty in Paris, described the performance as one of the best he had ever seen from a goalkeeper. Alisson himself admitted the magnitude of his showing, emphasizing the difficulty of facing such an elite opponent.
“It was probably the performance of my life,” Alisson said. “The manager prepared us for how hard it would be against PSG, how good they are with the ball, and how much we would have to suffer. We knew what was coming.”
Despite PSG’s relentless attacking threat, Liverpool stood firm, albeit riding their luck at times. Alisson credited his teammates for their efforts, though he was the clear standout performer.
“We worked incredibly hard,” he added. “We gave away too many chances, sometimes one-on-one, but all the work the team put in helped make my job a little easier. And then, at the end, Harvey comes in and scores the winner it’s a great story for us. A great night.”
PSG manager Luis Enrique was left frustrated by the result, calling it an unfair outcome given his team’s dominance. He remained confident, however, that a repeat performance at Anfield could see his side progress to the next round.
“It will be difficult in that atmosphere, but we have nothing to lose, and that makes us dangerous,” Enrique said.
Slot acknowledged that Liverpool had been fortunate, particularly in the first half when PSG created several clear openings. He also pointed out that Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s disallowed goal was an extremely close call.
“We were the lucky ones tonight, that’s clear for everyone,” Slot admitted. “They were much better, especially in the first half, when they had so many clear chances. In the second half, they were still the better team, but most of their shots were from outside the box. That’s the quality they have shots coming in at incredible speed that you only see with the best players.”
He concluded by emphasizing Alisson’s influence, stating that the Brazilian’s saves were the decisive factor in securing an improbable win.
