AC Milan manager Paulo Fonseca has highlighted some of the differences he has seen between Jurgen Klopp and Arne Slot already.
Milan manager Paulo Fonseca recently shared his perspective on the tactical differences between Liverpool’s current head coach, Arne Slot, and his predecessor, Jurgen Klopp.
The clash against AC Milan marks the Reds’ return to the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League after missing out the previous season, and they are set to navigate the tournament under a brand-new format.
The Champions League has shifted away from the traditional group stage format to a 36-team “league phase.”
Each team plays eight matches against different opponents—four home and four away—with the top eight teams advancing directly to the Round of
Teams finishing 9th to 24th will face off in play-offs to secure their spots in the knockout stages.
Liverpool will be aiming to make a strong start in what promises to be a competitive opening fixture.
Under the leadership of new manager Arne Slot, Liverpool has shown promise early in the season, and fans will be eager to see how his tactical approach translates to European competition.
Speaking in a press conference ahead of the clash this evening, the AC Milan was full of praise for the Anfield club:
“They have solid positional play and strong players who we all know. We must be defensively perfect to win,” Fonseca said of Liverpool.
We can make no mistakes against these teams. If we make a mistake, they’ll score. We must be complete in attack and defence.”
“I see the game as an opportunity for the team to prove that we are improving. Facing Liverpool is a big opportunity and it brings something different to what we are accustomed to in Serie A.”
On specific similarities and differences between Arne Slot and Jurgen Klopp playstyles, Fonseca said:Slot has just arrived and they have different players.”
“I think there are many differences [from Klopp], but also similar traits like the way they defend.”
“They are very different when they play on the wings, while the way they recover the ball and press high is pretty similar.”
The match is scheduled for an 8:00 PM BST kick-off at the iconic San Siro stadium.
This is only the fifth European clash between the sides. They previously met in the 2005 and 2007 finals of the Champions League and twice during the competition’s group stage in 2021-22.
