In the eye of the storm created by Mohamed Salah’s extraordinary public outburst,
Liverpool manager Arne Slot has broken his silence with a measured, yet incredibly firm, press conference.
Just hours after the club dramatically excluded Salah from the Champions League squad to face Inter Milan, Slot delivered a clear message: he is not backing down, and the club’s authority will be maintained—no matter the player.
Here are the key takeaways from Slot's press conference as he addressed the viral claims that he and the club had "thrown Salah under the bus" and broken their relationship:
1. The Relationship: "I Haven't Felt That At All"
Salah claimed that his once-good relationship with Slot had suddenly disappeared. The manager strongly refuted this characterization, admitting he was genuinely surprised by the interview:
"That’s not the way I feel [that the relationship has broken down], but he has the right to feel how he feels things. I haven’t felt that at all—until Saturday evening, for sure."
Slot explained that while players who are benched often aren't happy, Salah had maintained a professional attitude:
"When I didn't play him, usually players don't like the manager that much, but he was very respectful to my staff, to his teammates and he trained really hard. So, to an extent, it was a surprise to me when I heard after the game that he gave the comments that he gave."
2. Authority: "Usually I'm Calm... But I'm Not Weak"
When asked if the club's decision to drop Salah was a direct reaction to his comments,
Slot confirmed it was, delivering a forceful defense of his and the club's position:
"Usually I'm calm and polite, but that doesn't mean I'm weak. If a player has these comments about so many things, then it is up to me, us, as a club, to react. And you can see now that he's not here."
He was also asked if Salah’s outburst had undermined his authority:
"I don't feel my authority has been undermined. It's not about me, it’s about it being more difficult for the team and the club... He has every right to feel what he feels, but if he has the right to share it with the media, then we have to react to it."
3. The Exclusion: A Short and Decisive Conversation
Slot confirmed the immediate communication with Salah regarding the Inter trip was minimal and focused solely on the decision to leave him behind.
"We let him know that he's not traveling with us. So that was the only communication that there has been from us to him."
When pressed on Salah's reaction to being excluded, Slot simply laughed and said: "It was a short one."
4. The Future: "I Have No Clue"
Perhaps the most telling moment came when Slot was asked if Salah had played his last game for Liverpool.
The manager offered no false assurances, leaving the door wide open for any outcome.
"I have no clue. I cannot answer that question at this moment in time."
Slot did add a small caveat, noting that there is "always a possibility to return for a player," but emphasized that he would reassess the situation after the Inter clash.
The message is clear: the club has supported its manager and drawn a line in the sand. With Salah due to depart for the Africa Cup of Nations soon, this calculated period of enforced absence could either be a temporary cooling-off or the final chapter in one of Liverpool's greatest-ever stories.