Arne Slot has addressed criticism aimed at marquee signing Florian Wirtz after Liverpool’s 1-0 defeat to Galatasaray.
Tuesday night saw Europe’s elite clubs contest their second round of Champions League group stage matches.
While Real Madrid swept aside Kazakh side FC Kairat 5-0 earlier in the evening, Liverpool travelled to Istanbul’s Rams Park hoping to bounce back from their late 2-1 loss to Crystal Palace at the weekend. Instead, an early Victor Osimhen penalty sealed victory for Galatasaray.
After the game, several of Liverpool’s summer arrivals came under fire from fans, prompting Slot to share his thoughts on their displays.
Following a record-breaking £446.5m transfer window, expectations for the Premier League champions remain sky-high. Four new recruits were included in the starting XI against Galatasaray, though it was £100m midfielder Wirtz who faced the heaviest backlash.
Asked about the German’s recent form, Slot responded:
“The spotlight is always on the new players, and that’s understandable given what we invested. I thought Florian, especially in the first half, played a big part in the chances we created. He was regularly involved in dangerous moments. We also made three or four changes to the starting side and had to manage minutes tonight, so rotation was important. Not everyone has fully adapted to each other yet.”
Since his arrival in June for £100m plus £16m in add-ons, Wirtz has featured nine times across three competitions, registering just one assist—setting up Hugo Ekitike in the Community Shield against Crystal Palace.
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