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The pressure on Arne Slot has reached its peak ahead of tonight’s crucial UEFA Champions League encounter, with talk of Xabi Alonso’s return adding to the tension.

Throughout the 2025-26 season, Arne Slot’s managerial position at Liverpool has been under scrutiny, but the stakes have never been higher than they are now as his team prepares to face Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).

Slot previously endured a painful defeat to PSG in the 2024-25 Champions League Round of 16 — a result widely believed to have triggered a prolonged dip in form for the Reds across the rest of that year.

Now, Liverpool will step onto the pitch at Parc des Princes for the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final, with growing unease among the supporters reflecting the mounting pressure on their manager.

Slot’s most recent result was a sobering 4-0 defeat to Manchester City in the FA Cup, a loss that eliminated Liverpool from the competition and further raised questions about the team’s direction under his leadership.

As disappointed Liverpool fans departed the Etihad Stadium early in the second half, many were heard chanting the name of Xabi Alonso, the former club legend and current managerial free agent.

Xabi Alonso — one of FourFourTwo’s leading candidates to replace Slot should a change occur — most recently managed Real Madrid, taking charge from the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup opener in June 2025 until the team’s 3-2 Supercup defeat to arch-rivals Barcelona in January 2026.

During his tenure in Spain, Alonso was named La Liga Manager of the Month in August 2025 after guiding Real Madrid to a flawless start to the campaign. When he departed the club, Real Madrid stood second in the league table, underscoring his impressive impact.

In contrast, Slot’s Liverpool currently sits fifth in the Premier League standings, having suffered 16 defeats across all competitions — just three shy of the club’s highest loss tally in a single season this century.

According to a TEAMTalk report, Alonso, who has been out of management since leaving Real Madrid, is preparing to return to the dugout ahead of the next campaign.

The Spaniard’s exit from Real Madrid has reportedly placed several Premier League clubs on alert, with Liverpool among those closely monitoring his situation as they weigh potential future managerial options.

Meanwhile, a talkSPORT report suggests that Alonso would be the most natural successor to Arne Slot if Liverpool were to make a change, though Manchester City are also said to hold interest given the uncertainty surrounding Pep Guardiola’s future.

However, sources close to Alonso maintain that no formal discussions have yet taken place with any club regarding his return to management.

As Slot returns to the ground that first dealt him a major European setback as Liverpool manager, he will be hoping to silence his critics and guide his team back to winning ways against PSG in this evening’s Champions League quarter-final.