Lamine Yamal’s Liverpool remarks bode well for Arne Slot as star shows honesty

Barcelona superstar Lamine Yamal showed how high Arne Slot’s Liverpool are regarded as he named the new favourites to win the Champions League following the Reds’ exit

Lamine Yamal showed his respect for Liverpool as he installed his Barcelona side as the new Champions League favourites. Arne Slot’s impressive first season at Anfield has suffered two major setbacks this month.

The Reds were knocked out of the Champions League after a penalty shootout defeat to Paris Saint-Germain before being deservedly beaten by Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley. It has still been a superb campaign for Liverpool, who have dominated the Premier League and sit 12 points clear of nearest pursuers Arsenal.

They topped the Champions League group stage before running into a strong PSG side, who must now be considered as genuine contenders themselves. But according to Yamal, it is Barca who deserve the mantel of favourites since the Reds’ demise.

The teenage superstar told Spanish outlet SPORT: “We are favourites to win the Champions League now that Liverpool are out of the competition.

“We are not afraid of any team, we are a family. And we’re not the same as one year ago against PSG [who beat Barca 6-4 on aggregate in the quarter-finals in 2024]. When the group stage ended, I said Liverpool were the favourites because they were first, and now that they’ve fallen, it’s us.”

Barca will face Borussia Dortmund in the last eight while PSG go up against Aston Villa. The other ties see Arsenal against Real Madrid and Bayern Munich versus Inter Milan. Barca are looking to complete a league and Champions League double as they currently top La Liga on goal difference from Real Madrid.

Yamal comments indicate how highly Liverpool are thought of on the continent and the strides the team has made under Slot, who hadn’t been expected to deliver the league title in his first season at the helm.

Liverpool resume their Premier League title quest when they face Everton in the Merseyside derby on April 2. Reds legend Robbie Fowler says it would be a “phenomenal achievement” if Slot can deliver the league title in his first season.

Speaking following the Wembley defeat to Newcastle, he said: “The last week was not what we wanted but I think [Slot has] been a phenomenal manager for the club.

“Every Liverpool fan will forgive losing the Champions League and League Cup as, other than a catastrophic development, Liverpool are going to win the Premier League and for a manager to come in and do that is a phenomenal achievement. To sit here and say Liverpool haven’t missed Jurgen is quite an unbelievable statement considering Jurgen took them to the very top table again.”

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