Why Liverpool May Face Challenges in Their Champions League Quarter-Final Against PSG

The Ligue 1 powerhouse comfortably dispatched Chelsea in the Round of 16, winning 8-2 on aggregate, raising significant doubts about Liam Rosenior’s suitability for his role.

Slot under scrutiny

Arne Slot, meanwhile, is also under pressure following a dismal campaign. A similar thrashing at the hands of one of the continent’s most dynamic and attacking teams could spell the end of the Dutchman’s tenure at Anfield.

Since their Champions League Round of 16 victory over Galatasaray, Liverpool has stumbled, losing to Brighton (2-1) in the Premier League and to Manchester City (4-0) in the FA Cup, bringing added scrutiny to this double-header for the Reds.

In contrast, PSG has maintained its momentum following their win against Chelsea, comfortably beating Nice (4-0) and Toulouse (3-1). Although the first leg result against Liverpool was not entirely favourable, the French authorities postponed their league match scheduled between the two legs of this quarter-final.

This postponement gives PSG the best chance to leave Anfield with a victory and secure their place in the UCL semi-finals for a second consecutive season.

Defending champions faltering at this stage

Despite Slot’s side’s poor form, Luis Enrique will be wary of complacency. The former Spain manager knows that the defending champions have been eliminated at the quarter-final stage in four of the last five seasons, with Real Madrid being the only exception in 2022/23.

Both teams have claimed three victories each in their previous UCL encounters, indicating that the match may not be as one-sided as some analysts might suggest.

It’s notable that although PSG triumphed in last season’s Round of 16 rivalry, the match went to penalties, recognisably with Liverpool in better form then than they are at present.

However, it’s worth noting that even during that positive spell, the Reds managed just four shots across the two legs, while PSG racked up 18 attempts.

Strong record against English sides

Moreover, the Ligue 1 club shows no signs of being intimidated when facing Premier League clubs, as evidenced by their victories against Aston Villa, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Arsenal in knockout rounds since the 2024/25 season commenced.

The team has also secured a win against Tottenham (5-3) and drew with Newcastle (1-1) in this season’s league stage, maintaining an unbeaten run of six matches against English sides (W5, D1).

PSG is currently unbeaten in seven knockout matches against all teams in the UCL, and another draw or victory will match the record for the most consecutive games by a French team, set by Lyon from April 2004 to March 2006.

Slot will be eager to prevent what would be a distressing 16th defeat across all competitions this season, but their recent form is cause for concern. Since March began, Liverpool has lost four matches, drawn one, and only won two.

Utilising their impressive away win against Internazionale as a blueprint for success in Paris is crucial for the visitors if they wish to keep the tie alive for the second leg.

Key figures like Florian Wirtz and Dominic Szoboszlai will be vital for Liverpool to cause a surprise, with Wirtz’s 27 created chances this season in the UCL being the highest recorded by a player from an English club during their first nine tournaments appearances.

The Hungarian midfielder boasts the most goals (five), assists (four), and recoveries (69) for Liverpool in this season’s UCL. With the team collectively struggling for form lately, their creativity and effort are crucial for Liverpool’s hopes of reaching the semi-finals.

If the visitors can seize the initiative, opportunities will arise. Despite PSG’s flamboyant attacking style, they have conceded two goals in four of their past six UCL outings, while Liverpool has restricted their opponents to no goals in four of their previous six fixtures.

However, stopping Khvicha Kvaratskhelia will be a formidable challenge. With 11 goal contributions (seven goals and four assists) in this season’s UCL, he matches Kylian Mbappe’s output from the 2020/21 tournament. Only Ousmane Dembele (14 contributions in 15 games last season) has recorded more.

This tie presents a daunting task for Liverpool, especially considering PSG leads the competition this season in several categories, including goals scored (34), total shots (241), shots on target (90), attempted passes (7,971), and overall pass completion rate (91%).