""It was needless and stupid," Slot said. "The first [booking] was already needless and to a certain extent stupid because you have to control your emotions. I know how hard it is when you are a number nine when the defender can, to a certain extent, do anything he likes. It's always best to control your emotions. If you can't, do it in a way that doesn't lead to a yellow card.""
""I told him that if you score in the Champions League final in the 87th minute after outplaying three players and hitting it in the top corner, I can maybe understand he is like: 'This is all about me, what did I do.' But I am old-fashioned, I'm 47. I never played at this level but I did score a few goals. Needless, not smart. I called it stupid right away.""
Hugo Ekitike came on for Alexander Isak and scored after Federico Chiesa set him up following Shea Charles' equaliser for Southampton. Ekitike celebrated by holding up his shirt in imitation of Lionel Messi but had already been booked for dissent, earning a second yellow and a red card. The dismissal will see him suspended for Liverpool's trip to Crystal Palace. Manager Arne Slot condemned the bookings as needless and stupid, urged better emotional control, and suggested goal celebrations should credit teammates. Ekitike apologised on social media for letting emotion get the better of him.
Read at Soccer News
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