Contents
By Karl Matchett
Sprint finishes
Rewind the clock to the start of January 2025 and Paris Saint-Germain were top of Ligue 1, but only by seven points. They’d also stuttered in Europe in the first half of the campaign, sitting outside the top 24 with two to play – but mighty wins over Manchester City and Stuttgart sent them through and put Luis Enrique’s team into overdrive for the season run-in. By the time they hosted Liverpool in the last-16 first leg, their domestic lead had almost doubled and the front three in particular were in relentless form. Of course the quirk of that first leg is that PSG battered Liverpool but were denied by Alisson Becker – and lost the game late on. Still, a shootout saw them through back at Anfield and PSG went on to lift the European Cup, Ligue 1, and the Coupe de France, backing it all up with the Super Cup, the Intercontinental Cup and very nearly the Club World Cup in what was one of the great sprint finishes to a season in recent years.
This time they meet Liverpool one round further along, but there’s no doubt PSG eyes are on a similar prize haul: the league is a closer affair and they are only fourth favourites to retain the Champions League, but they retain the attacking quality to make the final two months of the campaign yet another memorable one.
Dutch courage
Meanwhile, Liverpool have floundered since last year’s exit. They wrapped up the Premier League title, true, but already form had stuttered and since going out at Anfield on penalties they’ve won just 50 per cent of their matches in all competitions across the last 13 months. Arne Slot is under huge pressure as fans vote with their feet, but add to the list under scrutiny captain Virgil van Dijk, among others, after a succession of poor games and soundbites the fans have no appetite to hear, about the squad giving up in defeat against rivals Manchester City.
Recent form
Five wins in six and seven in nine for PSG – the only side who have stopped them during that run was Monaco, twice. Liverpool have won just two in seven, against bottom club Wolves and last-round opponents Galatasaray. They’ve only won four away from home this year.
Team news
Bradley Barcola and Fabián Ruiz are the big misses for PSG while the visitors are without goalkeeper Alisson and right-back Conor Bradley – but striker Alexander Isak could return to the bench after well over three months out.
Key player
Giorgi Mamardashvili will likely need to repeat Alisson’s heroics of last year. He wasn’t at his best at the weekend as four flew past him and in four Champions League starts this term, the Georgian ranks in the bottom 13% for save percentage.
Prediction
If PSG’s visitors play anything like they did at the weekend, this tie will be over. Slot needs a huge response from his side just to make the second leg at Anfield a non-event: PSG 2-1 Liverpool.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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