Arne Slot greets the character of Liverpool after another late show in dramatic victory on Atletico Madrid in the Champions League

Arne Slot praised the Liverpool mentality after marking another late winner to win a 3-2 victory against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League in Anfield.

The Premier League champions allowed an advance of two goals to slide after the efforts of Andy Robertson and Mo Salah were canceled by the double of Marcos Llorente before Virgil Van Dijk returned home in the second minute of the additional time.

Liverpool has already got into the habit of scoring late winners this season, recently beat Burnley 1-0 in the Premier League thanks to the Salah penalty in the 95th minute.

“If you want to beat a team like Atletico, which is known and has an incredible mentality, you must also beat them with their own weapon and it is the mentality,” said Slot TNT SPORTS.

“I think that is what we have shown today, that we can also beat them by mentality. But I think we should have made our task easier.”

Slot: positively surprised by Isak

Slot gave a British record of 125 million pounds sterling by signing Alexander Isak his first appearance of Liverpool by including him in his starting program and was delighted with the contribution of the Swedish.

The Dutchman, who celebrated the victory at his 47th birthday, said: “Especially because I think that in the 60 minutes he played, he seemed to be completely fit, so it was not as if, after 10 minutes, he was already very tired.

“He could play well at this level, which was the most positive thing and that he can play football and that he is a joy to watch.

“It's not a surprise for me, but it may have been more fit than what I expected.

“I was positively surprised by its peak. I was not surprised by quality, but it's always nice to see when a player starts how he started. It was a good start but only 60 minutes.

Isak Watch – Its key moments

13 – Drop the shoulder when cut inside but his pass cannot find Gakpo
29 – Logs from the right wing and obtains applause for winning a throw
31 – move it forward so that Salah pulls. Paid by the Norman in the process.
39 – Collect the pass of Wirtz well but shoot right next to the distant post.
41 – Delicious film for the first time to find Wirtz. Then pulls another shot.
42 – Slip into Wirtz with a two that turns Oblak but Frimpong Miskicks.
46 – Sorts another superb Cruyff film to Wirtz which draws KOP dressing.
50 – More higher class hold -up match before encouraging its marker when the cross comes into play.
58 – Receives a standing ovation from home support when it is replaced by Ekitike.

Slot did not know if Isak will start again on Saturday to Anfield against the rivals of Merseyside Everton.

He added: “You can tell David [Moyes] He's not going to play 90 minutes [against Everton]. “”

“I'm really happy that he can start today. That's why we didn't play him against Burnley. He was good today and when Hugo (Ekitike) entered, he was also an important factor.

“We have two large numbers of new and we will use them, both, throughout the period, they are there.

Robertson: We have to facilitate the task

During this time, Robertson, credited with the opener after the free kick of the fourth minute of Salah deviated in the defender, also considered that the victory of his team should have been more comfortable.

He said TNT SPORTS: “I think we may have to start saving a little simpler and a little easier.

“Obviously, it's a good thing to have been able to continue to go to the end, but when you are 2-0 and you play so well in the first half, it should have been a more comfortable night.”

During the long-awaited beginnings of Isak, Robertson added: “I thought he was excellent. He didn't really have a pre-season, did not have many games since last season, but I was thinking, especially the first half, he was excellent.

“Naturally, he tired and then it's incredible to have a player like Hugo to come and both have such quality.”

Carragher: Van Dijk to descend like Liverpool

Jamie Carragher Said Van Dijk should be recalled as one of the biggest players in Liverpool – not just one of their best central defenders after marking the Reds winner in time against Atletico.

“I don't like to describe Van Dijk as the best rear center. In Liverpool, many people are called legends because they have won the League or the Champions League,” Carragher told CBS.

“There are many. But if you want to differentiate, and I call them club giants like Gerrard, Dalglish, Hansen, Barnes, Souness and Salah, the seven or eight best Liverpool players, he is in the middle of that.

“He is not at the bottom of the list, I can assure you. He will go down like one of the biggest players to play to Liverpool. Not one of the biggest central backs, one of the biggest players.”

Van Dijk: We found a means

Liverpool captain Virgil Van Dijk, speaking on TNT Sports:

“We are trying, we continued to push for 3-1. We concede the equalizer, massively deflected. It was not great. We found a means. We were dangerous in our sets anyway, they were quite aggressive, I must say. I am happy to have obtained the winner.

“They are a team that never abandons, they have quality players who can punish you if you are not there in a fraction of a second, if you are a little too late and that they punish us before the break and after the break, we try to do for 3-1. They have a little confidence in what is also another European evening.

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2025-09-17 22:04:00