Arne Slot revels in Liverpool’s victory over ‘pain in the a***’ Real Madrid

Arne Slot was delighted to beat a Real Madrid team who had been a 'pain in the a***' for Liverpool for years, but played down the significance of the 2-0 win.

After seven defeats and a draw – including losses in the 2018 and 2022 finals – the Reds achieved their first success over their European nemesis since 2009 with goals from Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo.

Liverpool top the Champions League with five wins from five and are on the verge of securing a place in the last 16, but Slot said the victory would mean much more if it came in the knockout stages.

'I wouldn't say it's the same as any other, because you know how special it is to play against a club that has won the Champions League so many times and is also the reigning champion, has dominated Europe in recent years and was often a sore point for Liverpool,” he told TNT Sports.

At his post-match press conference, Slot added: 'I think it's always good to win a match, and especially in a big match like this you know you're going to face so many good players.

'This is such a strange and different set-up in the Champions League that it is difficult to judge how important these wins are.

“If we meet them in the last 16 and can beat them, that would be a bigger statement.”

Liverpool were more than deserving of the long-awaited victory as they dominated the entire match and kept generational talents Kylian Mbappé (who missed a penalty) and Jude Bellingham free for almost the entire match.

They could even afford to see Mohamed Salah miss his own penalty, but that had no bearing on the outcome as Real were limited to 37 percent possession and just three shots on target.

When asked whether his team is currently the best in Europe, Slot answers: 'The players here have been almost used to playing in a final for a long time, this team has always been there.

“The last two years may have been different, but it was just a few adjustments and we are only five games into a new format.

'We are happy where we are, but we cannot get carried away with winning a group match. This club wants more.'

The only downside of the evening was the injuries to Ibrahima Konate and the excellent 21-year-old Conor Bradley, who kept Mbappe quiet and then provided the assist for Mac Allister's opener.

“I know where they are hurting, but how bad or good it is is difficult to judge so close to the game, but this happens,” said Slot, who has four days to prepare his Premier League leaders for the visit of Manchester City. “I really hope they're both available, but if not, someone else will have to step up.”

Speaking about Bradley's appearance, replacing Trent Alexander-Arnold, who was left on the bench after his return from a hamstring injury, the Liverpool boss added: 'Conor did very well but I'm not surprised at all, he let it go saw last season and this too. .'

Real manager Carlo Ancelotti accepted they had been beaten by the better team.

“I think, to be completely honest, it's a fair result, Liverpool deserved to win,” he said.

'I think Mbappe finds it a difficult moment. We have to support him and give him our love, he will be fine soon.

'Maybe it could be a lack of self-confidence. Sometimes, when you have moments when things don't work out, the idea is to keep things simple and not complicate life.

'You don't have to blame him for missing penalties. People miss penalties, it happens a lot.'

A third defeat in the group stages, for the first time in the club's history, leaves them precisely in 24th place to progress to at least a last-16 play-off, but Ancelotti has no doubts.

“Today's match was not a decisive match for our position in the league,” he said.

“It was always going to be difficult to finish in the top eight, we need to make sure we finish as high as possible in the next 24 and we will be.”