How PSG Dominated Liverpool in a One-Sided Champions League Quarter-Final Showdown

In the run-up to the match, the Reds suffered a hefty defeat in the FA Cup at the hands of Manchester City and endured yet another loss in the Premier League against Brighton, marking their 10th defeat of what has been a woeful domestic season.

Slot’s Controversial Decision on Salah

In stark contrast, PSG, under the guidance of Luis Enrique, had enjoyed a rich vein of form leading into this fixture, winning five of their last six matches while outscoring opponents 17 to 6.

To take an advantage back to Anfield for the second leg of the quarter-final, Liverpool would need to perform at their absolute peak against PSG’s dynamic lineup.

Having taken PSG to penalties in their previous UCL encounter last season, Liverpool might draw some optimism from that experience, although their current form leaves much to be desired.

Slot’s bold decision to exclude Mo Salah from the starting eleven was bound to spark debate regardless of the outcome.

Doue Puts PSG Ahead

The game commenced with the hosts asserting their dominance right from the start.

Desire Doue wasted no time, having one shot blocked in the first ten minutes before netting the opener with a deflected effort that left Giorgi Mamardashvili helpless.

It was an inauspicious beginning for the visitors, who failed to show any attacking intent in the early stages.

This season, PSG had not lost a UCL match after taking an early lead, and Liverpool had managed to win just once when conceding first, signalling a worrying trend with 80 minutes still to play.

Liverpool Struggles to Compete

The hosts boasted an astonishing 81% possession in the initial 15 minutes against the reigning Premier League champions, while all PSG players, excluding Ousmane Dembele, recorded pass completion rates exceeding 90%.

The ease with which the Ligue 1 side manipulated the ball around Liverpool was a source of frustration for Slot, yet their fluid movement and sequences of play provided a spectacle for onlookers.

Vitinha’s 95.7% pass completion rate was the least surprising statistic of the night. By the end of the match, the industrious midfielder had made a staggering 139 passes, with 133 successfully reaching a teammate.

In comparison, no Liverpool player exceeded 29 passes (Ryan Gravenberch and Dominic Szoboszlai).

By half-time, the visitors had yet to register a shot on goal or even off target, while PSG’s solitary goal from eight attempts felt like scant reward for the dominance they had exhibited.

Kvaratskhelia’s Stunning Strike

Milos Kerkez managed just five passes before the break, and an inability to penetrate down the left flank, along with Jeremie Frimpong’s moves often being thwarted early on, left Liverpool searching for inspiration.

Szoboszlai, unusually, lost possession 14 times, contributing to Slot’s decision to sub him off in the second half.

With Ibrahima Konate working tirelessly to fend off the relentless PSG attacks, winning six out of 12 one-on-ones, the hosts remained somewhat contained.

Around the hour mark, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia demonstrated a moment of brilliance, shaking off Joe Gomez’s challenge before rounding Mamardashvili and delaying his shot just long enough to find the perfect angle to slot the ball into the corner.

Isak and Gakpo Fail to Impact

Kvaratskhelia’s second attempt was just one of the seven he registered throughout the match, eclipsing Liverpool’s total output by more than double.

Things could have deteriorated further for the visitors had the referee not overturned a penalty decision awarded to PSG during a 15-minute spell in which the hosts maintained possession for an astonishing 86% of the time.

As time dwindled, there was surely a need to introduce Salah to spark a comeback, yet Slot’s quartet of substitutions did not include the Egyptian superstar.

He opted instead for Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo in attack, but neither made a significant impact during their time on the pitch, combining for just four passes and eight touches with no shots to show for their efforts.

Although Dembele hit the woodwork, Liverpool still cling to a thread of hope in this tie, yet only the most ardent of Reds fans would believe they can overturn this at Anfield.

With zero shots on target in the entire match (the first time since facing Atalanta on 25th November 2020), nearly two-thirds fewer passes completed (253 to PSG’s 746), and just nine touches in the opposition box compared to PSG’s 40… the disparity between both teams was glaring.

After the match, Slot repeated the same tired phrases, raising concerns over the Dutchman’s position after such a dismal display.