Arne Slot Names the 'Almost Impossible' Trophy That Tops His Must-Win List This Season

Liverpool boss Arne Slot has revealed he would prefer to capture the Champions League crown this campaign rather than defend their Premier League championship.

The Merseyside club entered last season as strong contenders for European glory after topping their group in the league stage, but their impressive early form earned them a challenging round-of-16 clash against Paris Saint-Germain, who had underperformed in the tournament's initial phase.

Following a narrow 1–0 victory in the opening leg, Liverpool eventually succumbed in a penalty shootout during the second encounter and could only observe as PSG claimed the continental prize just one month after Slot's team secured the Premier League crown.

Now, following a tense 3–2 triumph against Atlético Madrid that launched Liverpool's renewed European campaign, Slot has acknowledged that securing the Champions League silverware this season would hold slightly greater significance than any domestic honor.

"If I could only claim one trophy, though it's nearly unthinkable, I would choose the Champions League this time around," he shared with TNT Sports.

Slot: 'Absence of Winter Break Damaged Liverpool's European Ambitions'

Slot readily acknowledged that PSG represented Europe's finest team throughout the previous campaign, but emphasized there were circumstances beyond Liverpool's influence that disadvantaged the Reds, particularly the demanding nature of England's top-flight schedule.

"I don't wish to diminish what [PSG] accomplished last season because it was exceptional," Slot explained. "I believe what assisted them and what doesn't benefit a Premier League side is our lack of a winter break.

"Perhaps it even aided them that they contested two matches against Brest [in the play-offs], providing them with a recovery period, followed by fixtures to reach peak form. During March when they faced us, at that point, they barely allowed any goals while netting three or four per match. They had reached their optimal performance level.

"In January, that represented our finest spell, but by March we were experiencing some difficulties regarding intensity. Following the March phase, we improved once more, but since we lost via penalties we were eliminated [from the Champions League]."

Liverpool return to European competition on Tuesday, traveling to face Galatasaray as they seek to secure a second consecutive continental victory this season.