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Arne Slot has claimed his opposite number in the dugout for Wednesday’s Champions League game, Roberto De Zerbi, is among the best coaches in world soccer.
The former Brighton & Hove boss will face Liverpool in the penultimate Champions League league-phase encounter with both in need of a result heading into next week’s decisive fixtures.
De Zerbi earned plaudits during his time in the Premier League for his energetic and attack-minded style, which led Brighton to a sixth-place finish in the 2022/23 season. The Italian has been linked with the Manchester United role in recent days, and many believe it is inevitable he will one day take charge of an elite European side.
Slot was asked about that possibility ahead of the Champions League meeting at the Stade Velodrome on Wednesday and praised De Zerbi’s coaching philosophy.
“Yeah, I regard him as one of the best managers in the world because, in my opinion, that should not always be judged on the amount of trophies you win, it should also be judged on the fact how you let your team play,” the Liverpool head coach replied.
“I think he's already working at a very big club because Marseille is a very big club at the moment, but history-wise as well.
“Yeah, I'm not the one that's hiring coaches, but if I was one, he would definitely be very high on the list, if I worked at a big club.
“I always liked to watch his teams,” Slot added. “Unfortunately, he's working in France now, so I follow the English League of course, a little bit more.
“So when he was a Brighton, I saw his teams playing more, but it's also what he wants,
“He's a very good manager and it’s not always fair to judge managers only on what they win. The style of play should be, in my opinion, very important as well as the development of players, and that's what you see with him, that players always develop very well.
“Then sometimes when he leaves, these players are not as good anymore as they were with him, and that usually tells me how good of a manager you are.”
De Zerbi, who was linked with the Liverpool role when Slot was appointed, left Brighton in 2024 and led Marseille to a second-place finish in his first season in France.
This season, the 1993 European champions are third in Ligue 1 and could still secure an automatic Champions League qualification spot.
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