Liverpool manager Arne Slot gave an emotional and deeply reflective press conference following his side’s dramatic 4-2 opening-day victory over Bournemouth, praising his team’s winning mentality and the powerful tributes paid to the late Diogo Jota on a difficult evening at Anfield.
The Dutch manager said the highlight of the night was the tribute paid by the Anfield crowd. “The best part of today’s match was how impressive and powerful the tribute to Diogo Jota was,” Slot stated, referencing the fan banners and the passionate, collective singing of ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’.
Slot also shared a poignant personal reflection from his time on the touchline. When Bournemouth scored their second goal to equalize at 2-2, the manager admitted his thoughts immediately turned to the late forward. “When it was 2-2, you know what player I was looking for to come on… Diogo Jota. But I couldn’t. For terrible reasons,” he confessed.
Despite the difficult emotional circumstances and going level late in the game, Slot hailed his team’s incredible fighting spirit to score two late goals to secure the win. He praised the “impressive” final 7-8 minutes of play. “We lost many players during this summer… But we did not lose our mentality,” he said.
The manager also addressed the alleged incident of racist abuse which caused a lengthy delay in the match, strongly condemning it. “We do not want this to happen in football, especially not at Anfield,” he affirmed, backing the club’s clear statement on the matter.
It was a night of mixed and powerful emotions at Anfield. For Arne Slot, the victory was a testament to his team’s enduring mentality and resilience, but the evening’s true significance was found in the collective, heartfelt tribute to a lost and cherished member of the Liverpool family.