Kvaratskhelia (center) quickly breaks through the Reds’ defense to score the second goal, leaving Liverpool players Van Dijk (left) and McAllister (right) disappointed. (AFP)
(AFP, Paris) Doue and Kvaratskhelia each scored a goal, helping Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) secure a 2-0 victory over Liverpool in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final at home in the early hours of Thursday (April 9th) Singapore time. Liverpool failed to register a single shot on target throughout the match and face a difficult task of overturning the deficit in the second leg.
PSG dominated possession with an astonishing 74% and had 17 shots, completely overwhelming Liverpool, who managed only three shots. In the 11th minute, Due received the ball and broke into the penalty area, his shot deflecting sharply off Gravenberch’s foot before lobbing high over goalkeeper Mamardashvili and into the net.
In the 65th minute, Neves delivered a penetrating through ball, and Kvalatschlia surged forward from the left flank, outmaneuvering Gravenberch and rounding his compatriot before slotting the ball into the empty net, extending the lead to 2-0.
Five minutes later, the home team was awarded a penalty when Konate fouled Zaire-Emery, but the decision was overturned after VAR review, as the referee ruled that Konate had also touched the ball.
PSG unfortunately couldn’t score more goals. PSG’s star player Dembele also hit the post with a shot before the end of the match. From the scoreline, while Liverpool avoided another heavy defeat after their 0-4 FA Cup loss to Manchester City last weekend, the one-sided match against defending champions Paris Saint-Germain was a rather embarrassing sight for the Reds.
Kvaratschria said after the game: “We had chances to score more goals, there were many moments we should have capitalized on, but 2-0 is good too. However, we must stay focused because we have to go to Anfield. We know the atmosphere there will be very intense, so we’ve already started preparing for that match.”
Slot: Liverpool in “survival mode”
Liverpool were unproductive throughout the game and face a difficult task of overturning the deficit at home in the second leg. (Reuters)
Liverpool have only won one of their last six matches in all competitions and have suffered a total of 16 defeats this season, making it a very difficult season for this giant.
Liverpool manager Slot admitted, “We’ve been in ‘survival mode’ for a long time, maybe all season. It’s really, really difficult against teams like this. PSG is definitely the better side, but we didn’t give up, which is why we still had a chance in this match.”
Junior striker Ekitike, who has now returned to his former club, started the game but struggled to threaten PSG’s goal. Isak, returning from injury, replaced Ekitike in the 78th minute, joining three other teammates, but this didn’t change the fact that the midfield and attack failed to create opportunities.
Salah remained on the bench for the entire match, making the second leg a challenging one for Liverpool. Star player Salah, who will leave Liverpool at the end of the season, sat on the bench for the entire game. Slot explained after the match that in the final stages of the game, the team was more focused on “survival” than scoring, so it was best to conserve Salah’s energy.
Salah (left) warmed up on the sidelines but was not fielded by Sloot in the match. (AFP)
The Reds must replicate their comeback against Galatasaray in the previous round, where they overcame a 0-1 away defeat in the first leg to win 4-0 at home in the second. However, this time the challenge is clearly greater, given that PSG has secured nine victories against Premier League teams since the beginning of 2025.
The two sides also met in the Round of 16 last season, where PSG dominated the Parc des Princes but lost 0-1, only to win 1-0 at Anfield in the second leg and advance via a penalty shootout, ultimately winning the title.
About The Author
