Dominik Szoboszlai has issued a heartfelt apology to Liverpool supporters following a controversial incident at the end of the club’s heavy 4-0 FA Cup defeat to Manchester City over a fortnight ago.
The 25-year-old midfielder found himself at the centre of a social media storm after the 4-0 loss at the Etihad earlier this month.
As the Reds crashed out of the competition, Szoboszlai was seen in a tense standoff with a small group of the travelling 8,000-strong Anfield faithful, appearing to shrug his shoulders and gesticulate in frustration, before being led away by teammate Federico Chiesa.
Liverpool thankfully bounced back from three defeats on the spin in all competitions with a 2-0 home win over Fulham on Saturday, though, on a night where the past and future of Liverpool’s attack aligned perfectly, as the new guard and the old guard combined to secure a vital victory under the Anfield lights.
Rio Ngumoha announced himself on the big stage by opening the scoring with a predatory finish, before the ever-reliable Mohamed Salah stepped up to make sure of the three points, further cementing his legendary status.
This was a welcome return to the winning ways, with the mood around Anfield after losses to City and Paris Saint Germain at a depressing low.
They can’t fall victim to another awful showing, like their 4-0 defeat to Pep Guardiola’s men in the FA Cup, with PSG boasting a spellbinding attack that rivals the ten-time Premier League winners, with figures such as Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia running rings around the Reds in the first leg disappointment.
In the build-up to this second leg showdown at Anfield, Dominik Szoboszlai would face the media, as he offered a long-awaited apology for that fiery moment right at the close of the sobering loss at the Etihad.
Szoboszlai’s apology before PSG
The 25-year-old, who so often lets his football do the talking with 12 goals and eight assists next to his name for the season, has now issued an apology, with the passionate number eight citing a “misunderstanding” for being at fault.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference ahead of Tuesday’s crucial Champions League quarter-final second leg against PSG, Szoboszlai was keen to set the record straight.
He said, in the build-up to the high-stakes clash at Anfield: “To make it clear it was a misunderstanding with me and the fans, I didn’t mean it in a bad way. I know what the fans mean to this club. As a player we do everything for them and us.
"If it was a misunderstanding, then I apologise" 🗣️
Dominik Szoboszlai explains his actions at full-time following Liverpool's defeat to Man City ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/Yw2H1gtYKk
If it was a misunderstanding then I apologise, they can feel also that I am not feeling better than them, exactly the same as they do. I am with them and we are with them, hopefully they are with us as well.”
Despite angering Reds supporters with his outburst, the 25-year-old also noted that the Anfield masses could be key in allowing Liverpool to dream about a monumental Champions League turnaround.
He further stated: “We are going to go all in and give our best from minute one to 90 or maybe 120. I can speak for all the players. We want it so bad and we work for it so. Anything can happen at Anfield.
“Anfield is going to make a big impact tomorrow. We saw it many times this and last season for sure, it’s going to be not only 11 and subs, it’s the whole stadium and we know how it feels to be at LFC with these fans at Anfield. We don’t need any more motivation.”
A Vow for the ‘Anfield Atmosphere’
With Liverpool trailing 2-0 from the first leg in Paris, the stakes couldn’t be higher for the return leg.
Szoboszlai, who has been a mainstay in Slot’s side this season, provided a rallying cry that will resonate throughout the city.
“I’m ready to die on the pitch tomorrow,” Szoboszlai declared. “I think I can speak for all the players, because we want it so bad and we work for it. Anything can happen at Anfield.”
🚨🗣️Dominik Szoboszlai:
"I'm ready to die tomorrow on the pitch, just like all my teammates."
"We'll give 100% from the first minute until the last, and for 125 minutes if necessary." 🍿 pic.twitter.com/RAUP3KcoDk
His words set the stage for what many hope will be another historic turnaround.
Indeed, Liverpool’s famous stadium has a reputation for producing some magical nights, especially in Europe’s most esteemed competition, with a 4-0 triumph over Barcelona in 2019, overturning a three-goal deficit.
The Merseyside giants aren’t quite that well-oiled machine right now that they once were under Klopp, but the Reds shouldn’t be disregarded here, as a special comeback might be on the cards.
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Kelan Sarson is a freelance writer for ReadLiverpool with plenty of experience writing Premier League and EFL football. They have written for the likes of FootballFanCast and FanSided, with EFL football and the Premier League at the heart of the content. Kelan has both a degree in English Language and Literature at the University of Leeds and has an MA in Journalism at the University of Sheffield. When not speedily writing away, they are a keen reader, who also enjoys going to gigs!
Follow Kelan on Linked In - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelan-sarson-502a31216/ and on X - https://x.com/SarsonKelan
