EINDHOVEN, Netherlands — Amara Nallo will certainly have a memorable story to tell about his senior debut with Liverpool, albeit one that only lasted four minutes.

In their final game of the newly structured Champions League first stage, Liverpool enjoyed the luxury of fielding younger players due to their earlier qualification for the next round. Nallo, an 18-year-old defender, was among those given the chance, though his experience turned bittersweet.

Just four minutes after coming on as a substitute in the 83rd minute, Nallo was sent off with a straight red card for a professional foul. Unfortunately, this incident contributed to Liverpool’s 3-2 defeat against PSV Eindhoven. Nonetheless, the Premier League frontrunners still managed to secure the top position in the revamped league stage of Europe’s premier club competition.

“It’s a harsh situation,” commented Liverpool manager Arne Slot regarding Nallo’s dismissal. “He’s never experienced first-team football before, and making your debut in the Champions League is quite a challenge. He misread the scenario, and this will be a significant lesson for him. It’s tough to think about making your debut in the Champions League only to leave the field minutes later. A professional career has its ups and downs, and he must aim to make it back onto this stage again.”

Nallo, who joined Liverpool in May 2023 from West Ham where he developed in their academy, has represented England at the under-18 and under-19 levels.

In the match against PSV, Jayden Danns became the youngest player in Liverpool’s history to start a game in the Champions League at the age of 19, having just celebrated his birthday on January 16.

Star players such as Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, and Trent Alexander-Arnold were given a rest for this particular outing.

Finishing the league stage with 21 points, Liverpool ended up two points ahead of second-place Barcelona, after securing victories in their first seven matches.