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Arne Slot has named six teams he believes are capable of winning the Champions League after Liverpool’s heartbreaking exit against Paris Saint-Germain. The Premier League leaders had a strong chance to advance after their 1-0 first-leg victory in Paris, but a 1-0 defeat at Anfield forced extra time and penalties. PSG held their nerve in the shootout, converting all four of their spot-kicks, while Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez and Curtis Jones saw their efforts saved by Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Despite PSG’s victory, Slot refused to label them as outright favorites for the title. He acknowledged their strength but insisted that several other teams are equally capable of lifting the trophy. “They can win it, but they’re not the only team,” he said. “It’s always about two games, and luck and bad luck can play a part as well.”

When asked which teams he sees as favorites, Slot pointed to Barcelona, Arsenal, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, and Bayern Munich. He praised their squads and recent performances, highlighting the unpredictability of the tournament. “I like Barcelona at the moment a lot as well. Arsenal has a very good team, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Bayern Munich—it’s going to be close,” he added.

Liverpool had hoped that Anfield’s atmosphere would play a crucial role in the second leg, but PSG’s early goal from Ousmane Dembele silenced the home crowd. The match remained tense, with both sides creating chances but failing to find a breakthrough. As extra time unfolded, PSG appeared the stronger team, setting the stage for their penalty shootout triumph.

Slot, who took over from Jurgen Klopp, described the match as the best he had ever been part of. “It was an incredible performance, especially compared to last week,” he said. “Maybe we ran out of luck because the margins were so small. We played the perfect game, except for scoring a goal.”

PSG’s victory sets up a quarter-final clash against either Aston Villa or Club Brugge, while other fixtures will see Arsenal, Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich battle for a spot in the last four. With so many strong contenders left, the race for the Champions League trophy remains wide open.

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk shared the manager’s disappointment but remained proud of the team’s effort. “We were pretty good, and you want to go as far as possible, but we knew when we drew PSG that it was going to be very difficult,” he said. “In Paris, we struggled but won. Today we saw a very good Liverpool side, but we’re out of the competition.”

For Liverpool, the focus now shifts to domestic competitions. With the Carabao Cup final against Newcastle approaching, they must regroup quickly and push forward as they chase silverware on multiple fronts.