Arne Slot humbles Xabi Alonso as Liverpool routs Bayer Leverkusen 4-0 in the Champions League

LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Arne Slot vs. Xabi Alonso had the makings of an epic battle.

In the end it was the Liverpool coach who cruised to victory against the man many believed was destined to take over at Anfield this season.

A hat trick from Luis Diaz and a goal from Cody Gakpo saw Liverpool beat German champion Bayer Leverkusen 4-0 in the Champions League on Tuesday and further endear Slot to the Merseyside club's fans, who joyously sang his name at the end.

“People singing for a manager is not that common, at least not in Holland,” Slot said.

It all seems so easy for the Dutchman, who replaced Jurgen Klopp in the summer and has led Liverpool to the top of the Premier League and now the Champions League after an outstanding start to his reign.

That's win number 14 from his 16 games in charge, but this felt particularly symbolic, given his rival in the opposition dugout.

Slot seems too level-headed to have concerned himself with the subplot of facing Alonso, who is arguably the most sought-after young coach in Europe and someone who was considered a leading candidate to succeed Klopp at Liverpool.

A former Champions League-winning player for the club, the stars seemed to align when Klopp made the surprise announcement in January that he would step down at the end of last season. At that time Alonso was well on the way to leading Leverkusen to an undefeated domestic campaign and a German league and cup double.

Slot's name seemed a long way from the conversation.

Wind the clock forward and Alonso, who was also linked another his former clubs, Bayern Munich, shut down talk of moving anywhere when declaring he would remain at Leverkusen.

Liverpool looked elsewhere, Slot was the man chosen to succeed Klopp and it could hardly have gone better for him or the club.

The former Feyenoord coach is making light work of filling the void left by an Anfield icon and one of the most successful managers of his generation. These are early days, but Liverpool looks ready to challenge for the biggest titles right from the off under the new manager.

Instead of feeling the pressure of living up to the standards set by Klopp, who won a full set of trophies, including the Premier League and Champions, Slot is embracing it.

“We want to be there where we are now, we want to compete for everything,” he said. “Therefore you have to accept that if you work here or play here, that there’s pressure.”

Leverkusen may not be the force it was last season, having won just three of its last nine games in all competitions, but this was still a hugely impressive result for Slot's team.

It was Leverkusen's heaviest loss in more than two years — since a 5-1 defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt in Alonso's third game in charge.

“It can happen that you come to Anfield and lose. To lose 4-0 is not nice. They are a top, top team and they punished us," Alonso said.

There was the potential for a very different narrative on the night. One where Alonso — whose name was also sung by the home crowd — made a triumphant return and showed Liverpool what they might have had if he'd been the one to succeed Klopp.

And even in defeat, his reputation remains high after leading Leverkusen to its first German title and ending Bayern's 11-year reign as champion. Only a loss to Atalanta in the final of the Europa League prevented him from completing a trophy treble.

Little wonder he has been talked of as a future manager of Europe's grandest clubs, including Real Madrid.

But Liverpool looks to be in good hands with Slot, whose rise has been more understated.

Despite winning the Dutch league with Feyenoord, he was not an obvious choice to step into Klopp's shoes.

He doesn't exude the same charisma as the German on the sidelines. He doesn't fire up the crowd or the players with the type chest thumping that Klopp was famed for.

Yet he has quietly taken to the job with impressive ease and his team is doing its talking on the field.

A record of eight wins from 10 in the Premier League has Liverpool leading the way ahead of four-time defending champion Manchester City.

A 100% start in the Champions League now leaves the rest of Europe's top clubs in Liverpool's wake — City and reigning champion Real Madrid included.

“Things have gone so well with the new manager, it wasn’t easy for him to come in and fill Jurgen Klopp’s shoes,” Diaz said. “Hopefully, we’ll have something to show for it at the end of the season.”

James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Liverpool's manager Arne Slot, right, celebrates with his players after winning the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Brighton at the Anfield stadium in Liverpool, England, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. Liverpool won 2-1.(AP Photo/Jon Super)

Liverpool's manager Arne Slot, right, celebrates with his player Luis Diaz after winning the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Brighton at the Anfield stadium in Liverpool, England, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. Liverpool won 2-1.(AP Photo/Jon Super)

Leverkusen's head coach Xabi Alonso gestures from the touchline during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen at Anfield in Liverpool, England, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

Leverkusen's head coach Xabi Alonso waves to the crowd at the end of the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen at Anfield in Liverpool, England, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

Liverpool's manager Arne Slot takes his place on the touchline before the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen at Anfield in Liverpool, England, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

Liverpool's manager Arne Slot applauds the crowd at the end of the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen at Anfield in Liverpool, England, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

European heavyweights Real Madrid and Manchester City both suffered big defeats in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Defending champion Madrid was humbled 3-1 at home by AC Milan, while Erling Haaland missed a penalty and City squandered a fourth-minute lead as it lost 4-1 at Sporting Lisbon, whose coach will soon take charge of its crosstown rival.

It was a much better evening for Liverpool, as Luis Diaz scored a hat trick and Cody Gakpo grabbed another goal in a 4-0 win over German champion Bayer Leverkusen at Anfield that marred Xabi Alonso’s return to his old home.

The Leverkusen coach was given a warm welcome on his return to the club where he became a fan favorite as a player over five seasons between 2004-09. Alonso won the Champions League with Liverpool in 2005.

Liverpool moved top of the league phase table with four wins from four games, followed by Sporting and Monaco, both on 10 points after three wins and a draw. Under the new 36-team format introduced by UEFA this season, the top eight teams advance directly to the next round, and those from ninth to 24th enter a playoffs to reach it, while the bottom 12 are eliminated.

Before their game, Sporting fans displayed a huge tifo thanking Rúben Amorim in his last home game before he takes over Manchester United.

Phil Foden then got City off to a flying start in the fourth minute, only the second goal Sporting has conceded in four games of the competition.

But Swedish forward Viktor Gyökeres scored a hat trick as Sporting came roaring back. Gyökeres first equalized in the 38th after a perfect through ball from Geovany Quenda, before Maximiliano Araújo made it 2-1 right after the break. made it 3-1 in the 49th from the penalty spot after Joško Gvardiol was penalized for a shove on Francisco Trincão in the area.

Haaland’s penalty hit the crossbar, before Gyökeres showed the Norwegian how it’s done with another spot kick at the other end to complete the scoring.

It is the first time since 2018 that City has lost three straight games, coming off a defeat to Tottenham in the English League Cup and a loss to Bournemouth in the Premier League.

“In my seven and a half years at the club, I don't remember losing three games in a row,” City midfielder Bernardo Silva said.

In Spain, Christian Pulisic sent in a corner for Malick Thiaw to head Milan into a 12th-minute lead, ensuring Madrid trailed in a third straight game in the Champions League this season. The 15-time champion had already lost to surprise team Lille in their second game.

Vinícius Júnior equalized from the penalty spot in the 23rd after he’d been tripped, but Álvaro Morata pounced on the rebound after Andriy Lunin saved Rafael Leão’s shot to restore the visitors’ lead against his former club.

Morata had already been given a hostile reception from the home fans, who evidently remember the goal he scored to take Juventus through to the 2015 final at their team’s expense.

Tijjani Reijnders scored Milan’s third goal as the home fans made their frustrations known at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.

“The last two defeats are inexplicable. We have to analyze and react quickly," Lunin said, referring to Madrid's 4-0 loss to Barcelona in its previous Spanish league game.

It's the first time since 2009 that Madrid has lost two successive games at home with at least three goals conceded in each, according to Opta.

“We have to get back on track,” Lunin said.

German forward Nicolas Kühn scored twice as Celtic defeated Leipzig 3-1 at home, and Juventus drew 1-1 at Lille.

Lille midfielder Edon Zhegrova eluded two defenders before playing a perfect pass for Jonathan David, who fired inside the far post, but Dušan Vlahović equalized with a penalty for the Italian club.

Donyell Malen scored late for Borussia Dortmund to beat Sturm Graz 1-0 at home, and Thilo Kehrer did likewise for Monaco to win at Bologna 1-0.

United States midfielder Malik Tillman scored one goal and set up another as PSV Eindhoven beat Spanish team Girona 4-0.

Dinamo Zagreb dealt Slovan Bratislava its fourth straight defeat in the competition as the visitors came from behind to win 4-1 in Bratislava.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Sporting players toss coach Ruben Amorim into the air during the UEFA Champions League opening phase soccer match between Sporting and Manchester City in Lisbon, Portugal, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)

Sporting players celebrate after a goal during the UEFA Champions League opening phase match between Sporting and Manchester City in Lisbon, Portugal, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)

Manchester City's Erling Haaland reacts after missing a penalty kick during the UEFA Champions League opening phase match between Sporting and Manchester City in Lisbon, Portugal, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)

Sporting players toss coach Ruben Amorim during the UEFA Champions League opening phase match between Sporting and Manchester City in Lisbon, Portugal, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)

Sporting's head coach Ruben Amorim leaves the pitch after the UEFA Champions League opening phase match between Sporting and Manchester City in Lisbon, Portugal, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe, right, and AC Milan's Yunus Musah battle for the ball during the Champions League opening phase soccer match at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham, front, and AC Milan's Emerson Royal battle for the ball during the Champions League opening phase soccer match at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

AC Milan's Tijjani Reijnders, right, celebrates after scoring his side's 3rd goal against Real Madrid during the Champions League opening phase soccer match at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

AC Milan's Tijjani Reijnders (14) celebrates with teammates after scoring his side's 3rd goal against Real Madrid during the Champions League opening phase soccer match at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

AC Milan's Alvaro Morata celebrates after scoring his side's 2nd goal against Real Madrid during the Champions League opening phase soccer match at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

PSV's Malik Tillman, left, and Girona's Silvi Club fight for the ball during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between PSV Eindhoven and Girona at Philips stadium in Eindhoven, Netherlands, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

PSV's Malik Tillman, center, scores his side's second goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between PSV Eindhoven and Girona at Philips stadium in Eindhoven, Netherlands, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

PSV's Malik Tillman, foreground, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between PSV Eindhoven and Girona at Philips stadium in Eindhoven, Netherlands, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

PSV's Malik Tillman, left, scores his side's second goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between PSV Eindhoven and Girona at Philips stadium in Eindhoven, Netherlands, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)