Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez was one of two players to miss during the penalty shootout that saw the Reds crash out of Europe against PSG earlier this week. And Luis Suarez has sent a message of support to his fellow Uruguayan.
“Get up and keep going, as always,” Nunez posted on Instagram in response to his spot kick being saved. “As always!” Suarez replied. “Up the scorer.”
It has not been an easy season for Nunez, who has netted just seven goals in all competitions so far. He has scored one goal in nine Champions League games and only five in 23 appearances in the Premier League.
In the summer, Liverpool could bring in a more reliable number nine option for Arne Slot with Diogo Jota having been inconsistent thanks to injuries and Luis Diaz having filled in down the center at times. Until then, though, Nunez could continue to play a role.
He set up Harvey Elliott’s winner at the Parc des Princes in the first leg against PSG but that will now be forgotten after Liverpool lost and failed to reach the quarter-finals. PSG will take on Aston Villa next and the victor there will take on Arsenal or Real Madrid in the semi-finals.
“It was the best game of football I was ever involved in,” Slot said during his post-match press conference at Anfield. “I don’t have the history like Liverpool as a manager, but [it was] two teams of an incredible level [at] an incredible intensity.
(Image: Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images)
“The first 25 minutes… OK, I also remember the first 25 minutes against Man City at home and the first 25 against [Real] Madrid, but this was unbelievable what we showed in the first 25. I looked at the scoreboard and we were 1-0 down.
“Over 90 minutes I don’t think we deserved to lose this game of football today. Over 180 minutes, maybe it was deserved that we went to overtime.
“In overtime, I thought Paris Saint-Germain was a bit better than us in this half-hour. Then it comes down to penalties, and they scored four, us one, and we lost.”
Liverpool.com says: When Nunez stepped up, it was either going to be the best penalty you have ever seen or he was going to miss. He is that kind of forward; very much all or nothing. It was unfortunate for him and Jones to miss but Liverpool couldn’t really argue with the result across the course of the tie. PSG deserved to progress and could well go all the way to lift the trophy.
