PSG host an out of form Liverpool in the first leg of this Champions League Last 8 tie.
These sides were drawn in the same group in the 2018/19 Champions League. In the first meeting, which took place at Anfield, Liverpool won 3-2, courtesy of a stoppage time strike from Brazilian forward Firmino. In the return fixture, PSG ran out 2-1 winners, with the goals coming from Bernat and Neymar. These sides also met in the Last 16 of the Champions League last season. Despite getting outplayed throughout, Liverpool won the first leg 1-0 in Paris, courtesy of a late strike from Elliot, and a stellar display from Alisson. In the second leg, PSG won 1-0 after 120 minutes, courtesy of an early strike from Ballon d’Or winner Dembele, which sent the tie to penalties, where the French outfit ran out 4-1 winners, courtesy of heroics from current Manchester City goalkeeper Donnarumma.
The reigning Champions of Europe did not have a successful group phase, finishing outside of the automatic knockout places. As a result, PSG had to face fellow French side AS Monaco over two legs for a spot in the Last 16. The French champions overturned a two-goal deficit to win the first leg 3-2 away from home against 10 men. In the second leg, Monaco hit the front just before half time to level the tie, but once again, Monaco got a man sent off, and PSG capitalised, scoring two quickfire goals. Teze levelled the tie on the night in injury time, but it proved to be just a consolation. Luis Enrique’s men were drawn Chelsea in the Last 16, where they comfortably progressed, winning 8-2 across the two legs.
Liverpool had a solid Champions League, league phase, finishing third, only behind Bayern Munchen and Arsenal. Arne Slot’s men faced Turkish outfit Galatasaray in the Last 16. In Turkey, Liverpool lost 1-0, courtesy of an early strike from Lemina. However, in the second leg, Liverpool turned the deficit around, winning 4-0 in Merseyside, courtesy of goals from Szoboszlai, Ekitike, Gravenberch and Salah, to set up a meeting with PSG in the Last 8.
PSG come into this fixture off the back of back-to-back league wins, against Nice and Toulouse, and in their last four matches in all competitions, the French outfit have found the net fifteen times. On the other hand, Liverpool come into this fixture off the back of back-to-back defeats against Brighton in the Premier League and a 4-0 defeat against Manchester City in the FA Cup in their last outing.
France World Cup winner Christophe Dugarry believes that PSG will “wrap up” the quarter-final in the first leg in Paris:
“It’s going to be a walk in the park, honestly. Liverpool are disastrous. Fourteen wins, ten losses, and seven draws since the start of the season in the league. They’re catastrophic.
“I’m not going to say they have bad players, but they don’t play together.
“In my opinion, the difference in level is colossal. I think PSG will wrap up the quarter-final in the first leg.”
“They have no legs, they have nothing. Technically they have good players, they’re not clumsy, but they play at a snail’s pace.
“When you see the intensity Paris Saint-Germain manages to bring today, with their legs back, with their mental strength and everything else they’ve regained…there’s no comparison between the two teams.
“It’s going to be a massacre! It’s going to be a massacre.”
