Alisson, Chiesa Out as Liverpool Face Galatasaray

Arne Slot met with the media on March 9th on the eve of Liverpool's match with Galatasaray.  The boss gave updates as to why Alisson Becker and Federico Chiesa are not travelling with the team, discussed lineup possibilities and talked about managing his 100th game in charge of the club.

Injury Update

Alisson suffered what is being described as a minor muscle injury in training yesterday. While he did not travel to Turkey, Slot believes he could return for the EPL match against Tottenham Hotspur. Chiesa has an illness and is not with the club, either, but he is also expected to return vs Spurs.

“Federico was also not in the session,” Slot said. “He felt unwell last night, so that’s why he wasn’t training with us today and not travelling with us. “Ali, of course, was in the session – as many people could see – but unfortunately, he felt something towards the end of the session.“And it was, how do you say this… people looked at it and we decided and he decided together that it wasn’t good enough to play tomorrow. And then it’s of no use travelling.”

Lineup Questions

Slot fielded numerous questions about the potential Starting XI, particularly at the left and right back positions.

“[Andy] Robertson played a really good game [at Wolverhampton Wanderers], Milos [Kerkez] has played really good games for us,” Slot said. “Both have played many good games recently for us. It's a choice for me to make and you will see tomorrow who is going to start. Dominik he's done in general in almost all of the games really well, but he's also played well in the midfield. So, the good thing for me is I have choices to make and that has not been happening a lot this season. It was mainly 13 or 14 players available and usually the same ones always playing. Now, in the last game against Wolves, I could even impact the game off the bench [and] that hasn't happened that many times this season, so that's a very good thing for us.”

Guaging Galatasaray

Liverpool have already played Galatasaray once this season in the Champions League, a 1-0 loss at RAMS Park. Slot came away from that game impressed with the Turkish side and said the Reds have to be prepared for a tough match.

“They have a very good team, and we have a very good team,” Slot said. “So are you happy to play against them? No, there's not one team which you prefer to play in the last 16 because they are all very good teams – including Galatasaray. We've already lost against them, so that tells you how difficult of a game it is for us. The good thing now is that we play two games. Where in the group stage, you only play away against Galatasaray. Now we also have a chance to play in front of our own fans, which will be impressive for Galatasaray.”

Centenary Mark For Slot

Tomorrow will mark Slot’s 100th game in charge of Liverpool. With a win, he can tie Sir Keeny Dalglish with the most wins of any Reds boss during the first 100 games in charge of the club.

“First of all, it makes me really proud that I become the Liverpool manager and that it is going to be my 100th game,” Slot said. “I don't think I have a bad track record in those 100 games... although sometimes, you get a different feeling about that if I have to listen to everything! But it makes me proud, and it's nice that the 100th game is such a nice game to play – Champions League last 16, away game against Galatasaray. As always, it's never about the manager, it's always about the players. I'll try to prepare them just as good as all the other 99 games I've done before. But it's always the players who have to then perform, and I've been very lucky that I've been given a very good team in both seasons, last season and this season. I have all the trust that these players will perform at the levels that we are used to from a Liverpool team.”

Have Your Say

Who do you think should start for Liverpool at LB and RB? What is your impression of Slot’s performance as manager in his first 100 games? Sound off below

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