Legendary AC Milan manager Arrigo Sacchi explains why he's been so impressed by Arne Slot at Liverpool
01/30/2025 10:00 AM
Liverpool topped the UEFA Champions League standings despite losing their last league phase game against PSV Eindhoven.
Arne Slot’s side came out on top as the best side in the revamped Champions League format with Liverpool finishing two points ahead of FC Barcelona, Arsenal and Inter Milan to clinch first place and qualify for the last 16.
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goal Difference | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool | 8 | 7 | 0 | 1 | +12 | 21 |
| 2 | Barcelona | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | +15 | 19 |
| 3 | Arsenal | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | +13 | 19 |
| 4 | Inter Milan | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | +10 | 19 |
| 5 | Atletico Madrid | 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | +8 | 18 |
| 6 | Bayer Leverkusen | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | +8 | 16 |
| 7 | LOSC Lille | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | +7 | 16 |
| 8 | Aston Villa | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | +7 | 16 |
With Liverpool set to face one of AS Monaco, Benfica, Brest or PSG in the next round, the Reds will feel confident in their chances to progress to the final eight and onward to the final later this year in Munich, where a seventh Champions League title looks possible for Slot in his first year in charge at Anfield.
And one figure who has been impressed with the Dutchman’s spell at Liverpool is legendary AC Milan manager Arrigo Sacchi, who has shared his thoughts on the Merseyside club’s performances in Europe this season.
Sacchi praises Slot for creating an ‘impossible’ team to stop
Writing for Gazzetta dello Sport, the two-time Champions League winner shared how impressed he has been with Slot in creating a Liverpool side that are proving ‘practically impossible’ to stop due to the use of the players available.
With Slot blown away by the finishing of some of his Liverpool players, it’s perhaps no wonder why the former Feyenoord man is thriving at Anfield given the amount of world-class talent the manager now has at his disposal, with Sacchi a fan of what is happening this season.
Sacchi wrote: "The team that impressed me the most was undoubtedly Liverpool, they're going full throttle. Stopping the Reds when they accelerate is practically impossible, as their dominance in the Premier League proves.
“After Klopp's era, the new coach Slot has managed, with great humility, to maintain certain tactical principles of his predecessor and add a few small details to bring back enthusiasm to the environment.”
Can Liverpool win the Champions League this season?
Liverpool are the most decorated British team in Champions League history, with only two teams winning the premier European title more times than the Reds in Real Madrid and Milan, with the Reds just one off from matching the Rossoneri.
And heading into the knockout stage of the Champions League having topped the league phase, Liverpool will feel confident in going all the way if Slot can avoid any major injuries and keep the entire squad as match fit as possible.
However, with big teams like Madrid, Manchester City and Bayern Munich always a good bet for the Champions League, Liverpool know they can’t get cocky just yet when it comes to winning their seventh European title this season.
