Liverpool knocked out of Champions League as pressure grows on Arne Slot

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Uncertainty over Arne Slot’s Anfield future continues to increase after Liverpool’s 17th loss of the campaign - Phil Noble/Reuters

Liverpool brought the noise. Paris St-Germain brought the poise. Liverpool have gone out of the Champions League but they did so on their shields.

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They fought to the end and maybe it would have been different had a penalty award, when the game was goalless, not been overturned. It looked ‘soft’ when it was given. But the debate will rage over whether it was enough for the VAR to intervene.

Maybe it would have been different had the original decision stood. Maybe with the momentum with Liverpool, surging at The Kop, it would have been the moment that led to another incredible comeback. Another famous European night.

And yet, once again, PSG proved to be far too good and it is going to take a formidable effort to stop the French giants from retaining this trophy in the final in Budapest next month.

Liverpool pushed and the “Anfield trap” that PSG coach Luis Enrique cautioned about threatened to catch them until Ousmane Dembélé’s accomplished goals.

The importance was not lost on the Ballon d’Or winner who famously missed a golden chance for Barcelona in that semi-final in 2019, which would have made it 4-0 to them on aggregate. His celebrations appeared pointed.

This time there would be no glorious Liverpool recovery even if Arne Slot did his best to try and summon one.

What now for the Liverpool head coach? In the unrelenting rain he was animated throughout, as animated as he has been in the Anfield dug-out. At times it felt almost Jurgen Klopp-like especially when he went to play the ball as it appeared to be going out – but it did not – only for the referee to stop the game and warn him.

Slot receives a talking to from the referee after nearly getting involved in the play - Jon Super/AP

Indeed Slot tried to kick every ball. He cajoled and he hoped but in the cold light of day, Liverpool have lost home and away and without scoring.

In that unrelenting glare the fact is Liverpool have been beaten in 17 games in all competitions this season and in four of their last five, also exiting the FA Cup. In three ties against PSG and Manchester City the aggregate is a crushing 8-0.

That feels brutal. But it is there in black and white. At the very least Slot has to ensure Liverpool are in the Champions League again next season.

If they play like this in the Premier League it will not be a problem. But it is Everton away on Sunday and, conversely, if they fall below this intensity and intent in the Merseyside derby the pressure will spike.

Despite the performance there will also be scrutiny over Slot’s team selection as he handed Alexander Isak a first start since the striker broke his leg in December and after just two brief substitute appearances. Unfortunately it did not work with Isak not making it past the first-half and unable to cope with the pace and physicality of it all.

Alexander Isak (right) appeared off the pace as he made his first start of 2026 - Paul Ellis/Getty Images

But, with Slot starting with all six of Liverpool’s big signings last summer, it looked like he was going out, if that was to happen, with his team and his line-up and his approach.

It meant he also, once again, named Mohamed Salah among the substitutes, as he had done in Paris last week, although he did get on after just half an hour. This was therefore Salah’s last Champions League appearance for Liverpool.

Sadly he was only introduced after Hugo Ekitike suffered what appeared to be a horrible achilles injury, as he twisted in the turf off the ball, that may well end not just his season but jeopardise his place in France’s World Cup squad. “It looks really bad,” Slot later admitted.

The fans did all they could – as everyone knew they would. The atmosphere built, the backing grew and Liverpool could not have asked for more as the conditions, the swirling wind added to the sense of jeopardy. As did the importance of scoring the first goal.

Liverpool will reflect on what happened soon after Salah arrived as he crossed with Ibrahima Konate meeting it and the ball eventually falling to Virgil Van Dijk who appeared certain to score – only for Marquinhos to slide in with a remarkable block. The PSG captain celebrated with a scream of satisfaction.

They will also reflect on PSG goalkeeper Matvei Safonov making some fine saves – to deny substitutes Cody Gakpo and Rio Ngumoha – and Milos Kerkez volleying wide when the goal beckoned from another Salah delivery.

And they will reflect most of all on the penalty incident as Alexis MacAllister went down as he was challenged by Willian Pacho. The Italian referee Maurizio Mariani pointed to the spot but was sent to the pitchside monitor by the VAR and changed his mind.

Was that the moment? Maybe it was or maybe it was the save soon after from the lively Ngumoha – who had come on to chants of “Rio, Rio” – before PSG capitalised and scored.

They broke at speed and Khvicha Kvaratskhalia teed up Dembélé, who had failed to take several opportunities, on the edge of the area. This time, he finished low and into the corner.

Anfield was deflated, the balloon was burst and PSG were through even before Dembélé struck again in injury-time, sidefooting home with Kvaratskhalia again involved. There was the same celebration from Dembélé as he pretended to hold a telephone and then slammed it down.

By now the Liverpool noise had inevitably abated. But at the final whistle there was applause. No-one could fault the effort. But the focus will again fall on the application – from Slot and his players – if Liverpool are not on this stage next season.

10:49pm

And finally, here’s Arne Slot’s post-match interview with Prime

I think we got a lot more than we deserved last week by only losing 2-0 and that was the same as last season. And what was also the same as last season is that we got much less than we deserved at home. Today we should have won as well. But it is also the quality of them in that they don’t concede from all the chances we had and then the quality of Dembélé‘s finish tells you why he won the Ballon d’Or and why they won the Champions League last season and has a good opportunity to win it again this season.

[Hugo Ekitike] is not too good I’m afraid. We could all see it didn’t look good but let’s wait and see what it could be [rather than speculating what it could be]. He went home in the second half so I haven’t seen him yet.

Losing a game the way we lost it is very hard but again as it seems to be, losing a player has happened to us so many times this season and especially very hard for him because you never want to be injured in this part of the season.

[Surprised the penalty was overturned?] No. If you look at our season so many decisions have gone against us. For me it’s quite simple. If the referee doesn’t give a penalty, the VAR would never have overturned it but I have seen so many soft penalties given and VAR can’t interfere because the referee has seem contact. And there was contact. Unfortunately we couldn’t score a goal because that was a moment but we had multiple chances in the second half and one big one in the first. But last week there were two decisions that maybe went in our favour, a penalty overturned and a push in the back so, unfortunately we couldn’t score a goal. Anfield was already rocking at 0-0, let alone what would have happened if we’d scored the 1-0.

Last week was tough and very difficult. We have shown in a week’s time we can improve a lot and how they showed themselves after playing two days ago [sic] was incredible. They kept on going even at 1-0 down so that’s a big compliment to them. But it has happened all season if you look at xG. We should have scored two but we didn’t score one. Far too many times it’s happened this season.

Yes, of course, Champions League qualification is the minimum [requirement] and we have to play for that in the upcoming weeks..

I said before the game we had 88 minutes till now with Alex, Florian and Hugo on the pitch. How many more today, 35? The good thing is that Alex is able to make minutes.

Many people have said the club is in transition. We have sold 8-10 players to recoup money to sign five or six very talented players. Now we are losing Mo and Andy on free transfers as we lost Trent on a free transfer. This model means we have to sell usually to buy. It’s going to be a big challenge. This club has shown this model works. You can see we have signed good and talented players who will go into their second season [stronger]. The future looks really good if we could add some good signings to replace the very good players who are leaving.

10:28pm

Ibrahim Konaté speaks to Amazon Prime Sport

To be honest we can say yes and no [it was a fair result] because when er played there they had many chances and only scored two. We thought we could create something special at Anfield and we created many chances. I thought we were the better team. That’s why it’s a bit unfair. They had one or two clear chances and this is football.

I think it was a clear penalty. We have to deal with that [being overruled]. If we get that penalty and score, it’s all different.

We have to be happy [with our performance] because we had many players who came back from injury.

Very sad for Ekitike. I think it’s bad to be fair. With the World Cup coming it’s very, very hard for him and I send him my prayers.

The game of today meant a lot of things. The PSG of this season is a little bit better than last year. To make a performance like that against them, we have to build from that and realise how good we can be.

It’s minimum standard for Liverpool to play in the Champions League. We have six games left and we have to be all-in to be in it next season.

10:15pm

Just waiting for Arne Slot

In the other quarter-final, Atlético’s 2-1 defeat by Barcelona puts them into the semi-final agaisnt Sporting or Arsenal with an aggregate 3-2 victory. 

10:02pm

Full time: Liverpool 0 PSG 2 (0-4)

Creditable performance by Liverpool, a team in transition. But PSG were too good for them. Too good for anyone I would wager. Luisi Enrique is on course to win a third European Cup, the same as Pep Guardiola. 

This incarnation of PSG really are a delight to watch. 

09:56pm

GOAL!

Liverpool 0 PSG 2 (Dembélé) Right-foot finish from the right of the area through Mamardashvili’s legs. Another slick move instigated by Kvaratskhelia;s pass down the left to Barcola. Liverpool, as noted before, have no right-back and Barcola floods into the space and passes past weary defenders to Dembélé to score.

Dembélé scores his and PSG’s second in stoppage time - FRANCK FIFE/AFP09:55pm

90+1 min: Liverpool 0 PSG 1 (0-3)

Six minutes of added time are signalled. Six minutes that neither side wants. Liverpool’s fans reward their endeavours with another YNWA. 

09:54pm

89 min: Liverpool 0 PSG 1 (0-3)

Fine sliding tackle by Konaté in the box stops Barcola from pulling the trigger on a shot from 12 yards after the sub had jinked his way in from the right-backless wing. 

09:52pm

87 min: Liverpool 0 PSG 1 (0-3)

Salah tries to dribble through the box a couple of times but can’t beat the defender and coughs up the ball. 

09:51pm

85 min: Liverpool 0 PSG 1 (0-3)

Gakpo hits the deck in the box but his claims are ignored by the referee and Konaté has seen enough and is booked for dissent.

09:50pm

83 min: Liverpool 0 PSG 1 (0-3)

Jones and Gakpo keep going, trying to find a way through but Marquinhos and Pacho plus the substitute Beraldo keep shutting the door. 

09:49pm

81 min: Liverpool 0 PSG 1 (0-3)

Liverpool are growing frustrated. No rub of the green in the box as yet.

Peter Byrne/PA09:47pm

79 min: Liverpool 0 PSG 1 (0-3)

Liverpool keep huffing and puffing, trying their best but Marquinhos is terrific and Safonov, who I thought was an obvious downgrade on Donnarumma, has done very well in both legs. 

09:44pm

77 min: Liverpool 0 PSG 1 (0-3)

Dembélé almost pounces again when he chassés into the box, draws Mamardsahvili. Konaté snaps on to the loose ball and tries to hack it clera but the ball hits Mamardashvili and rebounds perilously close to goal.

Jones → Mac Allister

09:42pm

75 min: Liverpool 0 PSG 1 (0-3)

Talk about a vibe killer. All you can hear now is the PSG fans and their Bonnie Tyler song.

Ousmane Dembélé‘s left foot has been the equivalent of pin popping a balloon. There will be no trip to Budapest for Liverpool this year and, where there was optimism 10 minutes ago, there is now resignation. The better team is going through to the semi-finals but that shouldn’t mask that Liverpool have been infinitely better this evening. If they carry performances like this into the final six games, they should qualify for the tournament next season. It’s going to come down to attitude. 

09:36pmVideo • Goals

GOAL!

Liverpool 0 PSG 1 (0-3) [Dembélé] He’s not consistently brilliant like most of his Ballon d’Or predecessors but when he’s good, he is magnificent. Liverpool have thrown everything but the kitchen sink at PSG and have left themselves vulnerable on the break, and although they got back in numbers, Barcola crept behind the centre-halves, fed it to Kvaratskhelia who found Dembélé in the centre 20 yards out. He took a touch to shift the defender, Mac Allister, then bent a left-foot shot into the bottom right.

09:36pm

70 min: Liverpool 0 PSG 0 (0-2)

Ngumoha goes again, dribbling in from the left, tacking across the 18-yard line before shooting with his right. On Saturday he found the corner. Tonight he is twio yards closer to the middle and gave the keeper more scope to save. 

09:32pm

67 min: Liverpool 0 PSG 0 (0-2)

After 22 minutes, Gomez is hooked.

Ngumoha → Gomez.

And in his first sally he wins a corner by dribbling down the left.

Mac Allister heads the corner wide from a yard in front of the near post.

09:31pm

No penalty

The referee withdraws his decision. Odd given that he was caught from behind, however soft. Given that it was given was it a clear and obvious error? I don’t think so. But wouldn’t have quibbled had it not been given originally.

It’s the right decision not to award a penalty. It was actually a surprise Maurizio Mariani, the Italian referee, gave it initially but the incident merely highlights what is within Liverpool’s grasp. It also makes you ask the question why Liverpool haven’t been able to ghet to these levels consistently this season. We have 20 minutes of this absorbing tie to play and Rio Ngumoha has been introduced for Joe Gomez, who left the pitch and immediately spoke to Liverpool club doctor Jonathon Power and indicated he may have an issue.

09:29pm

Liverpool penalty?

VAR check after Mac Allister is eased off his feet by Pacho. He spread his legs to shield the ball and there was contact from behind but not much.

Richard Sellers/Getty Images

The referee is called over to the screen.

09:28pm

62 min: Liverpool 0 PSG 0 (0-2)

Allez, allez, allez rings out as the crowd plays its part. Gravenberch’s tame daisycutter of a shot from the left is easily stopped bY Safonov. 

09:26pm

60 min: Liverpool 0 PSG 0 (0-2)

All Liverpool now and they’re using their flanks to good effect. But they send so many players forward in pursuit of the goal that they leave themselves open to a break by Kvaratskhelia and Dembélé that breaks down because the former runs offside. But not before Mamardsahvili had made a good, smothering save. 

09:23pm

58 min: Liverpool 0 PSG 0 (0-2)

Kerkez steals in from the left and has to meet Salah’s wafted cross/shot with a right-foot finish because of the angle, stabbing his effort with his winger across the six-yard box and out for a goal-kick. 

This may prove to be famous last words but this task doesn’t feel like it is beyond Liverpool. They keep getting themselves into threatening positions and, for the first time, PSG are starting to look distracted by the pressure. It remains more unlikely than likely but if Liverpool get the final ball right, there will be opportunities. It was 10 years ago tonight they turned around an improbable situation against Borussia Dortmund and you wouldn’t say history cannot be repeated. It’s crying out for a player to grab things by the scruff of the neck and make themselves a hero. Florian Wirtz, anyone? 

09:20pm

56 min: Liverpool 0 PSG 0 (0-2)

Gravenberch surges down the inside-right channel. Alan Shearer wants him to lay it off to a striker but he keeps gobbling up the yards and decides to have a pop himself from 20 yards, thrashing a shot that wobbles and climbs and ends up in the Kop. 

09:18pm

54 min: Liverpool 0 PSG 0 (0-2)

Wirtz’s cute return pass sends Salah down the line of the penalty area and so often he would skitter in with the ball attached to his left foot but his first touch is too heavy and allows Pacho to close him down and knock it away.

09:16pm

52 min: Liverpool 0 PSG 0 (0-2)

Doué comes back on for the corner but isn’t right. Gomez heads over after Safonov came out to punch and missed, colliding with the defender. Doué goes down again and will have to go off. Luis Enrique is vexed by Szoboszlai going unpunished but the Hungary captain goes over to apologise to Doué who shakes his hand before going off.

Barcola → Doué

09:14pm

50 min: Liverpool 0 PSG 0 (0-2)

Gakpo waves at the Kop to get on their feet after he surprises Safonov by taking a right-foot shot on early and tries to guide it into the bottom right. The keeper pushes it round the post. 

09:13pm

48 min: Liverpool 0 PSG 0 (0-2)

Kerkez and Szoboszlai leave Doue hurt as the latter eases him off the pitch and he collides with a boom mike and stand. Liverpool play on against 10 men.

Carl Recine/Getty Images09:11pm

46 min: Liverpool 0 PSG 0 (0-2)

Slot aborts the Isak experiment at half-time as he said he would. Gomez is also coming on at right-back. Liverpool are attacking the Kop and Szoboszlai starts on the front-foot with a brute of a whipped, dipping cross. PSG get it away but the crowd wants more of that. 

Gomez → Frimpong
Gakpo → Isak

08:57pm

Half-time: Liverpool 0 PSG 0 (0-2)

Liverpool have been OK. They have emerged unscathed from PSG’s swarming attacking moves. Sometimes they take over the final third like the weasels took over Toad Hall. But their best chance, from Salah’s cross, highlighted how good Marquinhos is. Still, 0-0 is a decent launching pad but with Isak likely to go off imminently, it will be interesting to see of Slot allows Ngumoha the chance to give Liverpool lift off. Or will he go with Gakpo? 

08:54pm

45+4 min: Liverpool 0 PSG 0 (0-2)

Salah is haring back to cover and as a sign of his intent it is encouraging. Two minutes before he had been running through the middle after a pass when Pacho leant across him and knocked him off his feet. Anfield bellowed for a penalty or at the least a free-kick but the replay shows it was probably fair. 

08:51pm

45+2 min: Liverpool 0 PSG 0 (0-2)

Four minutes of stoppage time begin with Mac Allister being booked for a late, sliding tackle on Joao Neves. That would rule him out of the first leg of the semi should Liverpool make it. He slipped but the ref had to bring out the card all the same. 

08:50pm

45 min: Liverpool 0 PSG 0 (0-2)

Liverpool keep giving the ball away, either by trying to push it instead of playing a safer pass or by slipping in the teeming rain. Dembélé lashes a shot into the side-netting on the right from Kvaratskhelia’s cross that Mamardsahvili could only tip on moments after Konaté had taken Hakimi’s low cross off Dembélé‘s foot only a few yards out. 

08:47pm

43 min: Liverpool 0 PSG 0 (0-2)

PSG are as light-footed as cat burglars as they flood forward. Now Doué, Vitinha and Dembélé combine to play Vitinha in between the right of the D and the 18-yard line. He tries to chip Mamardashvili but dinks it into his arms. The keeper wasn’t far enough off his line for that to come off 

08:44pm

41 min: Liverpool 0 PSG 0 (0-2)

Liverpool corner on the right after Kvaratskhelia misjudges a tackle on Salah. Salah takes it but it’s far too flat. He’ll get a second chance, though and slips Gravenberch in down the line. He pulls a pass back towards the penalty spot from the byline but it’s PSG who read the danger best and hustle it away.

08:42pm

39 min: Liverpool 0 PSG 0 (0-2)

Nuno Mendes has been unable to recover from a knock and is having to go off.

Lucas Hernández → Nuno Mendes

08:41pm

37 min: Liverpool 0 PSG 0 (0-2)

But, as George Graham famously observed, when you need to win by two goals at Anfield, 0-0 at half-time is fine. Get one halfway through the second half and then pounce at the death. Doesn’t matter when you score. 

08:40pm

35 min: Liverpool 0 PSG 0 (0-2)

Just as Liverpool were building up a head of steam, PSG puncture their belief with a spell of keep-ball. Liverpool twice win it back but then give it to a black shirt. 

08:37pmVideo

33 min: Liverpool 0 PSG 0 (0-2)

Salah’s first touch is a brilliant inswinging cross from the right. Konaté glances it on and it hits Hakimi who was marking Kerkez. The ball ricochets towards the bottom left corner and Safonov dives to claw it away. Superb save. But Van Dijk slides in to try to convert the rebound from three yards only for Marquinhos to telescope out a leg and prod it away. Fine save, fine tackle.

08:34pm

30 min: Liverpool 0 PSG 0 (0-2)

Oh dear. Here comes the stretcher. Anfield greets Mo Salah’s warm-up on the touchline with their song to to the tune of James’ biggest hit. Salah places a gentle hand of consolation on Ekitike’s head as he is carried past him.

Ekitike is consoled by his team-mates as he departs on a stretcher - FRANCK FIFE/AFP

That looks to be an awful moment for Hugo Ekitike, who went down clutching his right ankle with nobody around him and needed some of the PSG players to hold his leg while help came from the bench. It’s indicative of the way things have gone for Arne Slot this season that he hasn’t been able to get his first choice forward line operating in tandem together for a prolonged period. It’s a real shame because Liverpool are warming into this contest. 

08:32pmVideo

27 min: Liverpool 0 PSG 0 (0-2)

Big problem for Ekitike who rolls his right ankle when he slips. PSG players run straight over and one holds his hand. Has he done his ankle ligaments? No he’s holding his achilles. Nothing worse for a footballer than an achilles tear. Let’s hope it’s only a strain or he’ll be out for a very long time. Mohamed Salah is getting stripped.

08:31pm

25 min: Liverpool 0 PSG 0 (0-2)

Dembélé displays that Ballon d’Or class with a glorious inswinging cross with his left from the right, gift-wrapping the chance of a shot on the volley from Doué but he takes a touch and it’s a poor one. 

08:28pm

23 min: Liverpool 0 PSG 0 (0-2)

Better spell from Liverpool by virtue of Mac Allister playing it to Gravenberch who made a surging run through the heart of midfield to thread an angled pass through to Isak on the left of the 18-yard line. He takes it through one-on-one with Safonov who gets down smartly to block and then the flag goes up to indicate Isak had mistimed his run. Bah! Good save, mind. 

08:26pm

20 min: Liverpool 0 PSG 0 (0-2)

Kvaratskhelia is caught in the mouth by Van Dijk’s arm but unmaliciously and without any grievous intent. 

If we are going to fail, Jurgen Klopp observed before that remarkable night against Barcelona in May 2019, let us fail brilliantly. That attitude lit a fire in the Anfield crowd seven years ago and there are flickers of the spirit returning here. It’s noisy, it’s frantic and the energy is high but there is a problem when considering the possibility of a comeback: Paris St Germain are a quite magnificent team and if Liverpool are going to put three unanswered goals past them it’s going to take something quite extraordinary - a level, arguably, that Arne Slot’s men haven’t reached since they were crowned champions of England 354 days ago.

08:24pm

17 min: Liverpool 0 PSG 0 (0-2)

PSG up to 60 per cent possession but it actually feels more than that. 

08:23pmVideo

15 min: Liverpool 0 PSG 0 (0-2)

Head tennis in the PSG box, but more vertical than horizontal distance from Ekitike, Iask and finally Konaté allows Safonov to come out and grab the ball. He distributes it quickly and Liverpool put it out for a throw-in from which PSG break like lightning.

Kvaratskhelia takes it down the left, gliding away from Frimpong, finds Joao Neves to the right of the penalty spot and he flicks it on to Dembélé who executes a three-quarter turn but hooks his volley over from about eight yards. Liverpool thought he was offside but he was half a yard on.

08:20pm

13 min: Liverpool 0 PSG 0 (0-2)

Twice Liverpool work the ball into good positions to cross. Ekitike sends Frimpong down the right but his cross flies over Isak’s mid-goal run. Kerkez races down the wing to collect but he then dumps his cross after beating Hakimi straight down Safonov’s throat. 

Wirtz gets away from Doué - Phil Noble/Reuters08:17pm

11 min: Liverpool 0 PSG 0 (0-2)

Fine ball over the top of the inside-left channel by Nuno Mendes for Zaire-Emery to chase forces Mamardashvili to race off his line and thump it clear but only as far as who, with the keeper out of position, Dembélé is invited to chip him. Mamardashvili scrambles back and improvises a save, backpedalling before diving to his left to punch it away. Liverpool work it clear but with their hearts clamped in their mouths.

08:13pm

9 min: Liverpool 0 PSG 0 (0-2)

PSG are sweeping the ball around and also popping off shirt passes, dominating possession to such an extent that the crowd resorts to whistles, partly out of panic. partly as a weapon to try to get them to stop. 

08:10pm

6 min: Liverpool 0 PSG 0 (0-2)

First signs of positive intent from Liverpool with Frimpong and Wirtz combining down the right after the crispest of tackles by Kerkez. Wirtz’s cross is blocked behind for a corner. Isak gets his head on Szobiszlai’s centre but can’t do a great deal with it other than glance it into Safonov’s hands.  

08:08pm

4 min: Liverpool 0 PSG 0 (0-2)

From the corner Kvaratskhelialets fly from about 22 yards and the ball crashes into Mamardashvili’s chest and he grabs it after it bounces back off the floor. 

08:06pm

3 min: Liverpool 0 PSG 0 (0-2)

Kvaratskhelia bombs down the left and gets to the byline to work the ball back to the 18-yard line for Zaire-Emery whose shot is deflected over for a corner.

08:04pm

1 min: Liverpool 0 PSG 0 (0-2)

PSG kick off, attacking the Kop and, as is their wont, boot it straight out for a throw-in. Liverpool take it and work it beyond their strikers and Safonov launches it upfield.

Chants of “Liverpool” and whistles from the home fans are drowning out the Champions League anthem. Now there is another rendition of  You’ll Never Walk Alone. It is all set. Can Liverpool ride the emotioon with a fast start? 

08:02pm

Anfield pays tribute to the victims of the Hillsborough Disaster

The 97 who died and the hundreds of others affected are commemorated on the 37th anniversary with an almost impeccably observed minute’s silence. The pakyers are wearing black armbands. 

07:59pm

The teams come out

Liverpool are in red, PSG in black. They line up for the Champions League anthem, which is roundly booed. Uefa’s shambolic handling of the 2022 Champions League final at Stade de France was unforgivable and hence unforgiven. 

07:53pm

Amazon Prime retreats to the sidelines and silence

To allow the full rendition of You’ll Never Walk Alone.

07:52pm

Players on yellow cards and one away from a one-match ban

Liverpool’s Van Dijk, Mac Allister, Jones and Gravenberch; PSG’s Nuno Mendes and Kvaratskhelia.

07:51pm

Anfield believes

We have seen it before with big European nights and big comebacks from Liverpool and, in fairness, the fans are doing their part by bringing the noise as the teams are read out and kick off approaches.

Andy Robertson believes too - Carl Recine/Getty Images07:41pm

Attack! Attack! Attack, attack, attack!

It feels like both sides will go for goals. Liverpool need to score at least twice and there is a huge gamble by Arne Slot in starting Alexander Isak for the first time in four months after just two brief substitute appearances.  It looks like, in a sign of the future, he is being paired with Hugo Ekitike, up front. For PSG there is definitely a sense that attack is the best form of defence for them and they are confident, as they were last season, that they will score at Anfield.

07:28pm

Here are Arne Slot’s pre-match thoughts

I already felt it when I came in [Anfield atmosphere] and will feel it even more when we go out for the game, which is needed because we need to be at our best and the fans to be at their best.

Ekitike, Wirtz and Isak have played only 88 minutes together [so far] and the thinking is as we all know we need to score goals. There are goals in these players. Two target men means two men we can play into and can score goals. As you might not know but I do know, Alex will not be able to play much more than 45 minutes. So if you have to bring him in with the possibility of extra-time, it makes sense to me to start him.

We need to do a few things really well but I don’t think it’s about tactical things. If you want to have the ball a lot against them it’s never going to be easy so you have to match their intensity off the ball. And if you match that you have to be top in that because last week every time we tried to press them high they were unfortunately able to play through us.

Hopefully the Anfield factor can play an part. We lost 4-0 and 3-0 at the Etihad but after 75 minutes we were 1-0 up at home against City, a deserved lead, though we did lose 2-1. But we showed against Real Madrid, Atlético, Arsenal, three quarter-finalists, that we could make it a game here at Anfield.

07:17pm

All six major summer signings start for Liverpool

£450m worth of talent featuring Mamardashvili, Frimpong, Kerkez, Wirtz, Ekitike and Isak.

07:09pm

Scenes outside Anfield

Liverpool’s team bus approaches the players’ entrance - Lee Smith/Action Images via ReutersPhil Thompson’s been elected Pope - Phil Noble/REUTERSThe laying on of hands - Carl Recine/Getty Images07:00pm

Your teams in the trad style

Liverpool Mamardashvili; Frimpong, Konaté, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch Szoboszlai, Mac Allister; Wirtz; Isak, Ekitike.
Substitutes Woodman, Misciur, Gomez, Jones, Chiesa, Salah, Robertson, Nyoni, Nallo, Ngumoha.

Paris Saint-Germain Safonov; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Nuno Mendes; Zaire-Emery, Vitinha, Joao Neves; Doué, Dembélé, Kvaratskhelia.
SubstitutesChevalier, Marin, Lucas Beraldo, Zabarnyi, Goncalo Ramos, Lee, Lucas Hernández, Mayulu, Dro Fernández, Barcola, Mbaye.

Referee Maurizio Mariani (Italy).

06:55pm

Isak’s first start for four months

Mohamed Salah again starts on the bench for Liverpool which, given the scale of this game and the need for goals, shows how far his star has fallen. Alexander Isak makes his first start since December 9 after recovering from his leg break. Rio Ngumoha is also among the substitutes.

06:52pm

PSG team news

Luis Enrique sends out the same starting XI but Barcola returns on the bench

Safonov; Hakimi,Pacho, Marquinhos, Nuno Mendes; João Neves, Vitinha, Zaïre-Emery; Kvaratskhelia, Dembélé, Doué. 
Substitutes Chevalier, Marin, Beraldo, Zabarnyi, Hernández, Kang-in Lee, Dro, Barcola, Ramos, Mayulu, Mbaye.

06:49pm

PSG fans march across Stanley Park

06:47pm

Liverpool team news

Isak, Ekitike and Wirtz are the forward line: Salah on the bench.

06:45pm

Tomorrow marks the 37th anniversary of the Hillsborough Disaster

PSG’s players commemorated the 97 and all affected earlier:

06:41pm

From Arne Slot’s programme notes

As I said immediately after the first leg, PSG kept us alive so we have to use the lifeline that we have been given as well as we can. This means giving absolutely everything we can, coping with the pressure that we will inevitably have to deal with and being able to suffer in periods when necessary.

Most of all, it means performing in the Liverpool way – showing desire from first whistle to last, competing relentlessly and hopefully producing the kind of football that is required on occasions like this. We know the ingredients that are required, we just have to produce them and then see where it takes us.

06:14pm

Betting on tonight’s game?

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06:02pm

Preview: 2019 calling

Good evening and welcome to live coverage of Liverpool vs Paris Saint-Germain, the second leg of the Champions League quarter-final which starts with the defending champions 2-0 ahead after goals by Desiré Doué and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia at Parc des Princes last Wednesday. Ligue 1, which has no problem prioritising national prestige and co-efficient above its club competition, gave PSG the weekend off but Liverpool enjoyed a spirit-raising 2-0 victory over Fulham on Saturday, a shot in the arm after defeats by Brighton in the league, Man City in the Cup and last week’s disheartening shadow-chasing exercise in the City of Lights.

If the manner of Liverpool’s defeat last week makes one think their chances of staging a comeback tonight are between slim and negligible, both clubs’ recent pasts offer signal results that make home seem more plausible if not exactly realistic. A certain Luis Enrique was in his last season in charge of Barcelona and on the brink of being sacked after a 4-0 defeat by PSG in the first leg of a round of 16 tie in 2017. They began well, going in 2-0 up at the break by virtue of a Luis Suárez goal and a Layvin Kurzawa og. Lionel Messi made it three from the spot but when Edinson Cavani pulled one back for the visitors, Barça needed three goals in 29 minutes plus stoppage time to go through. For 27 of them they were held 3-1, but then Neymar made it 4-1, equalised on aggregate from the spot in the first of five added-time minutes but were still on their way out on away goals. And then, with seconds left, Sergi Roberto, eviscerated on and off the field in Paris, latched on to a chip over the PSG defence and hooked in a volley to win 6-1.

Two years later Liverpool’s Divock Origi-fired comeback, completed by a certain Trent Alexander-Arnold’s astute and cute corner, turned a 3-0 defeat at Camp Nou to a 4-3 aggregate victory, eclipsing even the 3-1 victory over Saint-Etienne in the 1977 quarter-final or Steven Gerrard’s crucial 86th-minute third goal against Olympiacos in 2004-05 as Anfield’s greatest roof-raising European Cup escapades. If it has been done, it can be done.

Yet PSG, so formidably slick last week are extraordinarily difficult to contain and Liverpool who went for a defensive system to try to stifle them lost their character and ability to support their forwards. It has to be different tonight, hence the clamour for the selection of Rio Ngumoha, after his outstanding performance against Fulham on Saturday. Yes, he’s 17 but has the intrepid and fearless approach youth allows and could thrive in the small pockets behind PSG’s majestic midfield. It could also be Mohamed Salah’s final Champions League match as a Liverpool player after 93 appearances in Europe and 53 goals. If this is to be the end, he will want to ensure he goes out on his shield.

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