Liverpool beat Real Madrid and maintain their 100% win record in UCL this season 

Arne Slot was jubilated by Liverpool‘s 2-0 Champions League win over Real Madrid by saying the European Giants had become a “pain in the a**” for the club after concluding a 15-year winless run against the defending champions. 

Second-half goals from Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo ensured the Reds continued their unbeaten run in the UCL this year. 

With Liverpool failing to defeat Madrid in their last six meetings, including the 2018 and 2022 Champions League finals, Slot said he was glad to end his team’s hoodoo. 

“You know how special it is to play against a team that has won the Champions League so many times," Slot said. "They were a pain in the a-- for Liverpool for many years too. It is a big week and it is pleasing to see.

"I think it is always good to win a game and especially a big game like this, you know you face so many quality players.

"But this is such a strange and different set up in the Champions League and it is difficult to judge how important these wins are.

"If we meet them [Madrid] in the last 16 and then we are able to beat them it would be a bigger statement."

Despite now possessing a five-point cushion in the top eight, which will seal a spot in the round of 16, Slot said it is too soon to know whether his team has done enough to confirm qualification. 

“I didn't have schedule in terms of amount of points I wanted," he said. "You want to implement the playing style as soon as possible. That is not difficult because it wasn't that different to Jürgen's [Klopp, his predecessor]. It is great to see not only the starters but the players coming on are doing as we expect.

"If before the season I had counted points for this point in the season I wouldn't have done as much as we have now."

Liverpool face Manchester City next in the Premier League at Anfield on Sunday with Slot saying it is “too soon” to evaluate the extent of injuries to Ibrahim Konatè and Conor Bradley. 

The Liverpool boss also said that he will be accompanied by his family for the City clash. "They took a few days off school to be here," Slot said. "They will here for Man City but it will not influence the game!

"To have family around, it is always a good thing, because you don't have to be focused for 24 hours ... 18 hours maybe!"