19/09/2025

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FRIDAY | SEPT 19, 2025

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Arne time! Slot hails Liverpool’s mentality after another late winner at Anfield L IVERPOOL head coach Arne Slot would have preferred not to have had to score in added time again to beat Atletico Madrid but admits he Ű BY CARL MARKHAM & WILL CASTLE

Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk celebrates scoring their third goal against Atletico Madrid. – REUTERSPIC

remarkable record at Anfield, scoring another two to the double he scored in their only win here in 2020. Van Dijk’s goal sparked a fracas on the touchline which resulted in Atleti boss Diego Simeone being sent off after getting into an argument with fans behind his dugout. Simeone was shown a red card for his reaction, with the TV cameras picking up a Liverpool supporter cheering in the Argentinian’s face as he was squared up to. Simeone has claimed that his volatile reaction was sparked by insults from the supporter in question. “We are in a place where we don’t have a right to reply or react and it is never good when we react as managers,” said Simeone. “When they scored the third goal, he turned round and insulted me. I am a person, I am human.” Simeone later added, speaking to Movistar : “There is a lot of talk about taking care, but they (fans) were shouting insults through the whole game from behind the bench. And I cannot say anything as I am a coach. “Obviously my reaction is not justifiable, I insulted him. But it was 90 minutes of being insulted the whole time. “Then you turn around, when your opponent has scored, and they are still insulting you. It is not that easy. “The referee understood the situation. I hope that a team like Liverpool can improve that part. “When they identify the person who did this, it should have its consequences. But he who needs to stay calm, and take the insults, is me. In my place you just have to take it.” When pressed on what the nature of the insults were, he responded: “The truth is I cannot remember exactly. I don’t want to enter into the situation.” Simeone also went up to the fourth official showing his middle finger, although it appeared he was signalling to the official what the fan was doing to him rather than the Atletico manager producing the offensive gesture himself. – The Independent

cannot fault his team’s mentality. Virgil van Dijk headed home a corner in the second additional minute for the 3-2 success as for the fifth match this season, the Reds netted a winner after the 83rd minute and the third time in four games it has come when regulation time had expired. Liverpool made things far more difficult for themselves than it should have been after Andy Robertson and Mohamed Salah had scored in the opening six minutes. But for the third time already this campaign, Slot’s side allowed a 2-0 lead to slip before snatching victory in dramatic fashion. “One of the things you need to have if you want to compete is mentality or fitness – but you also need quality,” said the Dutchman. “Maybe I am even disappointed we scored in the last minute. I would have liked it more if we scored earlier when Florian (Wirtz) and Alex (Isak) combined and it almost led to Jeremie (Frimpong) scoring. “Everyone will talk about the late goal, which I understand, but for me it is a different game to the ones we played before. “We had numerous moments to score the third one and that is different to Burnley or Newcastle or Arsenal. “It is not the first time we give away a 2-0 lead as well, which is not what we were known for last season.” Slot gave an unexpected full debut to £125 million (RM725m) British record signing Alexander Isak and he managed 58 minutes, with his only previous action this season being as a late substitute for Sweden. “I was surprised by how fit he was in the first 60 minutes, but it tells you it makes a difference to sign a 26-year-old who is used to this league. A good start, now we have to build him up,” he added. Marcos Llorente continued his

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