Slot Insists Wirtz Has ‘brought Exactly What We Expected’ Before Real Madrid Tie

Arne Slot has defended Florian Wirtz earlier Real Madrid’s sojourn successful nan Champions League and insisted nan £116m signing has produced “exactly what we expected” astatine this shape of his Liverpool career.

The playmaker was connected nan chair for nan win against Aston Villa connected Saturday and besides omitted from Slot’s starting lineup against Manchester United, Chelsea and Everton having struggled to make an effect successful nan Premier League. Wirtz has started each 3 of Liverpool’s Champions League games, however, and could good return for nan sojourn of Xabi Alonso’s broadside connected Tuesday.

The 22-year-old registered 2 assists successful nan 5-1 rout of Eintracht Frankfurt 2 weeks agone but is yet to people a extremity aliases supply an assistance successful nan Premier League. Slot attributed that barren tally to bad luck and said nan Germany world will warrant Liverpool’s then-record finance erstwhile he adapts to nan strength of English football.

Florian Wirtz provided 2 assists during Liverpool’s triumph against Eintracht Frankfurt successful nan Champions League. Photograph: Andre Weening/Orange Pictures/Shutterstock

“You tin opportunity he’s started 1 of nan past 4 [two of nan past four] but you tin besides opportunity he’s started 10 already this season,” said nan Liverpool caput coach, who will again beryllium without nan injured Alexander Isak, Alisson and Jeremie Frimpong against Real.

“I’ve said this rather a lot, not arsenic an excuse but conscionable really it is; galore times we person to play 3 games successful 7 days pinch only 2 days’ remainder successful between. For a subordinate who comes from a different league, which is simply a very bully convention by nan way, 9 retired of 10 group would work together nan Premier League is simply a spot much aggravated successful each nan games. If you look astatine that past he already played a lot. He has had his effect successful a batch of games but has been unlucky pinch nan extremity merchandise either by himself aliases his teammates.

“For me, he brought precisely what we expected, a subordinate who created a batch for nan team. He will person his goals but I don’t deliberation it comes arsenic a astonishment to anyone that if you’re 22 aliases 23 and travel to a different convention that you mightiness request immoderate clip to set to that strength if you play each 3 days. Ryan Gravenberch was sitting present earlier and it took him a while to set to nan intensity, possibly moreover longer than it is going to return Florian.”

Wirtz earned his move to Anfield, for an first £100m positive £16m successful add-ons, having shone for Alonso astatine Bayer Leverkusen. Together they helped extremity Bayern Munich’s tally of 11 consecutive Bundesliga titles successful 2023-24 and Alonso credited Wirtz pinch his ain emergence to becoming Real coach. The erstwhile Liverpool midfielder echoed Slot’s belief that it is only a matter of clip earlier nan guardant makes his people astatine Anfield.

Alonso said: “I person nary doubts. It is conscionable a matter of time. It is simply a large alteration for him to travel to Liverpool aft truthful galore years successful Germany, he’s been location each his life. He is simply a really typical player. He has value and characteristic and he’s competitive. It has happened pinch awesome players successful nan Premier League earlier and I’ve nary doubts pinch Flo. He is very typical and astir apt 1 of nan reasons I’m present now truthful I’m very grateful to Flo. Hopefully not tomorrow but I’ve nary uncertainty he will show his value and class.”