Verdict: Both teams to score
Best odds: 40/85
Bookmaker: Olympusbet
Still counting their lucky stars from Paris, Liverpool welcome Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain to Anfield on Tuesday evening for the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.
Arne Slot’s side remarkably departed the French capital with a 1-0 first-leg victory, thanks to the heroics of a super substitute and an outstanding goalkeeper.
Liverpool
Despite their relentless efforts for 90 minutes, a desperate PSG astonishingly failed to find a way past an inspired Alisson Becker—aside from an offside Khvicha Kvaratskhelia strike—as Liverpool’s long-serving goalkeeper produced a masterful nine-save performance at the Parc des Princes.
While Luis Enrique’s side recorded 27 shots without scoring, Liverpool capitalized on one of just two attempts, with Harvey Elliott punishing PSG’s wastefulness by netting a dramatic 87th-minute winner off the bench.
Only once before in Champions League history had a team won a knockout match despite a shots deficit of -25 or more. History is also on Liverpool’s side, as they have progressed from their last 14 Champions League ties after winning the first leg. The last team to eliminate them in such circumstances was Bayer Leverkusen in 2001/02.
However, while PSG faltered last Wednesday, Southampton capitalized on a rare defensive lapse from the Reds on Saturday, with Will Smallbone giving the Premier League’s bottom club a shock lead.
Liverpool emerged a different side after the break, equalizing through Darwin Nunez before Mohamed Salah’s penalty brace sealed a 3-1 comeback win. The Egyptian’s heroics saw him become the Reds’ third-highest scorer of all time while matching the record for the most goal involvements in a 38-game Premier League season.
That victory marked Liverpool’s fourth consecutive win across all competitions, but much like at the Parc des Princes, elements of their first-half display will give PSG reason for optimism.
Team News
Liverpool emerged from their Southampton triumph with no fresh injury concerns, though Cody Gakpo remained absent due to his recent knock and is a major doubt for the visit of the French champions.
Tyler Morton (shoulder), Joe Gomez (hamstring), and Conor Bradley (hamstring) remain definite absentees, while Arne Slot made three halftime changes on Saturday, including withdrawing Dominik Szoboszlai.
The Reds boss later admitted it may have been a mistake to start the Hungarian, who appears to have hit his physical limit. As a result, Paris match-winner Elliott could be in line to start in the number 10 role in midweek.
Paris Saint-Germain
Despite PSG’s overwhelming number of chances, their first-leg defeat was a familiar tale in the Champions League, a competition that continues to elude them despite their relentless spending sprees.
However, the perennial Ligue 1 champions can draw inspiration from last year’s tournament as they attempt a dramatic comeback on Tuesday. In the 2023/24 quarterfinals, they fell 3-2 at home to Barcelona before staging a stunning 4-1 second-leg triumph in Catalonia.
Interestingly, Enrique’s men secured an identical 4-1 win over Rennes in Ligue 1 on Saturday, correcting their attacking woes from the first leg. Bradley Barcola and Goncalo Ramos found the net before Ousmane Dembele dazzled with a late brace, taking his league tally to 20 goals this season.
That dominant display extended PSG’s away winning streak to an astonishing 13 matches across all competitions, including three consecutive Champions League victories – albeit against less formidable opposition in Brest, Stuttgart, and Red Bull Salzburg.
Notably, no French club has won away to an English side in Europe in the last 15 attempts, but PSG were the last to do so, defeating Manchester United in December 2020. That stat fuels hope for a turnaround at Anfield, unless Alisson delivers another stunning performance.
Team News
PSG arrive in England with a fully fit squad, allowing Enrique the luxury of rotating heavily against Rennes. Several key players will return, including the electric Dembele, who is expected to start in place of Ramos.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Vitinha, Fabian Ruiz, Achraf Hakimi, Marquinhos, Nuno Mendes, and Gianluigi Donnarumma are also set to reclaim their starting spots after being rested.
Teenage sensation Warren Zaire-Emery, who captained PSG from right-back against Rennes, is reportedly admired by Liverpool but will take his place on the bench at Anfield.
Conclusion
Unless Liverpool step up their game to a significant degree, they could well be in for another game with their backs against the wall, and the attackers in Enrique’s ranks aren’t likely to fire just blanks again.
On the other hand, Liverpool certainly do have enough quality to put up a proper fight, especially at Anfield, and nothing short of a spectacle is expected on Tuesday evening.
Verdict: Both teams to score
Best odds: 40/85
Bookmaker: Olympusbet
- Soccer News Like
- Be the first of your friends!
