Liverpool's Amara Nallo receives 'cruel' red card in UCL debut

Liverpool's 18-year-old defender Amara Nallo made a disappointing senior debut in the Champions League, receiving a red card just four minutes after coming on as a substitute in the team's 3-2 defeat to PSV Eindhoven. This dismissal marked him as the youngest player ever sent off for Liverpool, a record previously held by Michael Owen. Manager Arne Slot described the situation as 'cruel' and emphasized that Nallo will need to learn from this challenging experience, especially since he had never played first-team football before. Despite the loss, Liverpool topped their group and will advance to the knockout stage, with the captain Andy Robertson acknowledging the excitement generated by the new group stage format. Slot noted that many young players, including Nallo, were given opportunities, indicating a focus on developing talent within the squad. The team's success in the group phase, finishing with seven straight wins, positions them as strong contenders in the upcoming rounds.