Slot: Liverpool Premier League Win Was One of 'Best Days of my Life'

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Leicester City v Liverpool - King Power Stadium, Leicester, Britain - April 20, 2025   Liverpool manager Arne Slot celebrates after the match REUTERS/Phil Noble
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Leicester City v Liverpool - King Power Stadium, Leicester, Britain - April 20, 2025 Liverpool manager Arne Slot celebrates after the match REUTERS/Phil Noble
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Slot: Liverpool Premier League Win Was One of 'Best Days of my Life'

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Leicester City v Liverpool - King Power Stadium, Leicester, Britain - April 20, 2025   Liverpool manager Arne Slot celebrates after the match REUTERS/Phil Noble
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Leicester City v Liverpool - King Power Stadium, Leicester, Britain - April 20, 2025 Liverpool manager Arne Slot celebrates after the match REUTERS/Phil Noble

Liverpool manager Arne Slot said Friday that winning the Premier League title at Anfield was one of the best days of his life as he turned his thoughts towards next season.

The Reds crushed Tottenham 5-1 on Sunday to seal a record-breaking 20th English league title with four games to spare, basking in a sensational atmosphere at their packed home ground.

"Maybe for all the Liverpool fans, but for many of them, one of the best days of their lives, and I think it was the same for me," AFP quoted Slot as saying.

"The way the whole day went, arriving at the stadium, how intense the fans already were, then during the game going 1-0 behind, so it even felt like, 'Oh, they're not going to give it to us, we have to work for it'.

"Scoring the goals, seeing how much it meant to the players but also to the fans, for me, was really special to be part of."

Liverpool travel to face fifth-placed Chelsea on Sunday before taking on Arsenal, Brighton and Crystal Palace in their remaining games.

"It's nice that we play some very strong teams with Chelsea, Arsenal, Brighton and Palace, so that gives immediate challenge to those games," said Slot, 46.

"It's the end of the season but we also have to look at this as the start of next season already."

The Dutchman said he was surprised by the 22-point between his side and Enzo Maresca's Chelsea, whom he felt were the better team when they met in October, even though Liverpool won 2-1.

"We found a way to win, and that is a quality that we didn't need a lot, because mostly we were the better team on the pitch," he said.

"But in that game we had to suffer more than any other game, maybe. So to be so many points ahead of them is a big compliment for everyone here at this club."

The former Feyenoord boss said he would rotate in the final games of the season.

"Some of them deserve to play already earlier this season because they've trained so well," he said. "They are good enough to play for this club but I mainly chose the same players.

"And I think this is also a moment to see where they are, also looking towards next season maybe a bit already. But definitely also because they deserve to play this season."

Slot said Liverpool's Premier League triumph would be a boost in terms of recruitment.

"Winning the league, having these fans, I think this is a big attraction to every player we want to bring in, and that's definitely helpful," he said.

Captain Virgil van Dijk and top-scorer Mohamed Salah have recently signed new contracts to stay at the Liverpool but Slot said there was no update on Trent Alexander-Arnold, who continues to be linked with a move to Real Madrid in the summer transfer window.



Real Madrid Say No Contact with Bayern's Olise

France's forward #11 Michael Olise prepares to take a corner during the 2026 World Cup Group I football match between France and Senegal at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford on June 16, 2026.  (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP)
France's forward #11 Michael Olise prepares to take a corner during the 2026 World Cup Group I football match between France and Senegal at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford on June 16, 2026. (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP)
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Real Madrid Say No Contact with Bayern's Olise

France's forward #11 Michael Olise prepares to take a corner during the 2026 World Cup Group I football match between France and Senegal at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford on June 16, 2026.  (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP)
France's forward #11 Michael Olise prepares to take a corner during the 2026 World Cup Group I football match between France and Senegal at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford on June 16, 2026. (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP)

Spanish giants Real Madrid said Saturday they have not made any contact with Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise over a potential transfer.

The France international, currently at the World Cup, has been linked with Madrid by Spanish media, reporting Los Blancos were considering making a bid of more than 200 million euros ($230m).

"In light of the information published in various media outlets regarding an alleged interest of our club in Bayern Munich player Michael Olise, Real Madrid wishes to clarify that they have not had any direct or indirect contact with the aforementioned footballer, his representatives, or people in his circle," AFP quoted Madrid as saying in a statement.

Madrid said they have an "excellent institutional relationship" with Bayern and said the reports "do not correspond to reality.”

Olise joined Bayern from Crystal Palace in 2024 for around 60 million euros and shone as Vincent Kompany's team won the Bundesliga and reached the Champions League semi-finals.

Real Madrid, who appointed Portuguese veteran Jose Mourinho as coach earlier in June, have made a spate of signings already this summer.

Madrid brought in Bernardo Silva and Ibrahima Konate on free transfers, and spent 55 million euros on Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella.

After going two consecutive seasons without lifting a major trophy, record 15-time Champions League winners Madrid are remodeling their squad.


Bagnaia Dominates Czech Grand Prix Sprint as Bezzecchi Crashes Out

Italian MotoGP rider Francesco Bagnaia of Ducati Lenovo Team in action during the Qualifying Nr.2 session for the Motorcycling Grand Prix of the Czech Republic at Masaryk circuit in Brno, Czech Republic, 20 June 2026. EPA/MARTIN DIVISEK
Italian MotoGP rider Francesco Bagnaia of Ducati Lenovo Team in action during the Qualifying Nr.2 session for the Motorcycling Grand Prix of the Czech Republic at Masaryk circuit in Brno, Czech Republic, 20 June 2026. EPA/MARTIN DIVISEK
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Bagnaia Dominates Czech Grand Prix Sprint as Bezzecchi Crashes Out

Italian MotoGP rider Francesco Bagnaia of Ducati Lenovo Team in action during the Qualifying Nr.2 session for the Motorcycling Grand Prix of the Czech Republic at Masaryk circuit in Brno, Czech Republic, 20 June 2026. EPA/MARTIN DIVISEK
Italian MotoGP rider Francesco Bagnaia of Ducati Lenovo Team in action during the Qualifying Nr.2 session for the Motorcycling Grand Prix of the Czech Republic at Masaryk circuit in Brno, Czech Republic, 20 June 2026. EPA/MARTIN DIVISEK

Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia delivered a commanding performance to win Saturday’s sprint at the Czech Grand Prix, leading from the start to secure his first victory of the 2026 season.

Pole-sitter Ai Ogura, who had set a lap record in qualifying, finished 0.241 seconds behind the Italian in Brno. The win was Bagnaia’s first since Sepang last season.

"It was incredible. I am very happy. The first two laps made everything," Bagnaia told reporters, according to Reuters.

"I ⁠started when I ⁠tried to push open the gap and when I tried to control a bit because the rear degree was not that bad but vibration was huge. So I need to slow down a bit and try to control in ⁠the last two gaps."

Starting from third on the grid, Bagnaia was flawless and took the lead straightaway and never relinquished it, despite pressure from Ogura in the closing stages.

The Japanese rider never managed to close the gap enough to pose a real threat to Bagnaia.

"The performance of the rear tire was really good, but the limitation for me was at the front," Ogura said.

"But ⁠we ⁠will have another chance tomorrow, so we will try again."

Bagnaia's Ducati teammate Marc Marquez climbed from fifth on the grid to complete the podium in third, while VR46 Racing Team’s Fabio Di Giannantonio took fourth place.

Aprilia’s world championship leader Marco Bezzecchi crashed out of a late fifth place, his fourth sprint retirement of the season, as reducing his points advantage, with Jorge Martin, who finished in fifth, now just 15 points behind.


Fritz Rallies Past Zverev to Seal Halle Final Spot

Germany's Alexander Zverev returns the ball to Taylor Fritz of the US during their men's singles semi-final match of the Halle Open ATP tennis tournament in Halle, western Germany, on June 20, 2026. (Photo by CARMEN JASPERSEN / AFP)
Germany's Alexander Zverev returns the ball to Taylor Fritz of the US during their men's singles semi-final match of the Halle Open ATP tennis tournament in Halle, western Germany, on June 20, 2026. (Photo by CARMEN JASPERSEN / AFP)
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Fritz Rallies Past Zverev to Seal Halle Final Spot

Germany's Alexander Zverev returns the ball to Taylor Fritz of the US during their men's singles semi-final match of the Halle Open ATP tennis tournament in Halle, western Germany, on June 20, 2026. (Photo by CARMEN JASPERSEN / AFP)
Germany's Alexander Zverev returns the ball to Taylor Fritz of the US during their men's singles semi-final match of the Halle Open ATP tennis tournament in Halle, western Germany, on June 20, 2026. (Photo by CARMEN JASPERSEN / AFP)

Top seed Alexander Zverev was knocked out of the Halle Open after a battling three-set defeat by American Taylor Fritz in the semi-finals on Saturday.

World number three Zverev, fresh off his maiden Grand Slam title at the French Open, lost 6-7(4) 6-4 7-5 in a match lasting ⁠two hours and ⁠39 minutes.

The German, a finalist at Halle in 2016 and 2017, entered the match with a poor recent record against Fritz, having lost his ⁠previous six meetings with the American.

He made a strong start, securing an early break, but Fritz responded to force a tiebreak, which Zverev won.

Fritz hit back in the second set, turning the momentum decisively in his favor by winning 12 consecutive points and ⁠levelling ⁠the match.

In the decider, both players were locked in a tense battle before Fritz produced a late break to seal victory and book his place in the final.

He will face Germany’s Daniel Altmaier or fellow American Frances Tiafoe in Sunday’s title clash.