by Arne Slot, head coach of Liverpool, admits that his team was dominated in their late 1-0 win against Paris St. Germain in the French capital for almost all of their Champions League in the last 16 first leg.
And he rated Alisson Becker- “The best goalkeeper in the world”-that he keeps her in dispute long enough so that Harvey Elliott scored a goal in the 87th minute with her only shot on the finish.
The Liverpool leader said: “We are the lucky ones, that is clear to everyone. I think you were the much better team today, especially in the first half (if you had) three or four big, great chances.
“In the second half they were still the better team, still had many shots at the finish line, but they were mainly from outside the box.
“That’s why Alisson still had to make a lot of large parades. I had some very good players as a manager, but never the best goalkeeper in the world.
“He showed that he is the best in the world today. It was probably a little more to go here with a win. “
Alisson made nine parades of 27 shots against a team that had not been beaten since November and had scored 40 goals to win their last 10 games in a row.
The Brazilian international told TNT Sports that it was “probably the performance of my life” when he broke with his 22nd Champions League Clear Sheet Pepe Reinas Clubrecord.
His nine parades were also most (since 2003) from a Liverpool goalkeeper in a Champions League game.
Liverpool was lucky that Var Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s goal was excluded in the first half, and also decided that Ibrahima Konates shoulder load barge did not justify a red card on Bradley Barcola.
“We were lucky with the first half that the gate was sidelines,” added Slot.
“I think if the referee had blown his pipe (for the konate crime), Var would not have lifted him, and it was also clear to me that he shouldn’t have left it because it wasn’t clearly wrong.
“It’s a big decision, that’s right.”
Slot also enjoyed a great fortune with his substitutions, with a – Darwin Nunez – to achieve Elliott with his first touch after replacing himself from Mohamed Salah late in the game.
“A big moment for him. I can understand that he is sometimes frustrated about the season he gets because he is a good player, ”said Slot about Elliott.
“He has to do it with a limited season, but he just goes on. I have to give him big compliments.
“But it was not just Harvey, it was also the one who assisted, Darwin, who came from difficult two games, but was absolutely back tonight.”
PSG head coach Luis Enrique was not too disappointed with the result that he believes that they can recover next week in the second leg in Anfield.
“We deserve more. Her best player was her goalkeeper – he was great today, ”he said.
“Today was not a game based on the statistics or the details. We were far superior. We didn’t play Liverpool. They were better in the first five minutes than we were, but apart from that, we were at the top.
“I’m so proud of my team, my players. I congratulate my players. A team can always improve. I am a demanding trainer.
“I can only praise my players and motivate them. We will go there and make our fans proud of us. “
