Liverpool welcome Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain to Anfield for the decisive second leg of their Champions League last 16 tie. Despite being outplayed for large spells in the first leg Arne Slot’s men left victorious courtesy of a late Harvey Elliott winner and a heroic performance from goalkeeper Alisson Becker. PSG on the other hand showed attacking dominance in which they led Liverpool in almost every stat.
Liverpool made the most of their limited chances in their last game with Elliott’s dramatic 87th-minute strike being their only shot on goal. The Reds also have history on their side heading into the second leg having progressed from their last 14 Champions League ties when winning the first leg. However, their Premier League clash against Southampton showed some vulnerabilities. A sluggish first half saw them fall behind but a much better second period led them to a 3-1 victory thanks to goals from Darwin Núñez and a Mohamed Salah brace. That result marked their fourth straight win across all competitions though inconsistencies in defense could offer PSG a glimmer of hope.
The Champions League remains an elusive prize for the Parisian giants but they will take confidence from previous comeback triumphs, notably their dramatic turnaround against Barcelona in last year’s quarter finals. Their preparations for the Anfield showdown saw them dismantle Rennes 4-1 in Ligue 1 which extended their remarkable away winning streak to 13 matches across all competitions including three in the Champions League against Brest, Stuttgart and Red Bull Salzburg. Now, no French side has won away against an English club in the last 15 attempts in European competition, though PSG were the last to do so defeating Manchester United at Old Trafford in 2020.
The Reds suffered no fresh injury setbacks in their win over Southampton and Slot confirmed that Cody Gakpo is available after overcoming a knock. However, Tyler Morton, Joe Gomez and Conor Bradley remain sidelined. Dominik Szoboszlai struggled for fitness at the weekend and may be replaced by first-leg hero Elliott in the starting XI.
Luis Enrique has a fully fit squad to choose from giving him the luxury of making several rotations. The likes of Achraf Hakimi, Marquinhos, Nuno Mendes, Fabian Ruiz, Vitinha and Gianluigi Donnarumma were rested at the weekend and should return to the lineup.
Liverpool possible lineup: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konaté, Van Dijk, Robertson; Mac Allister, Gravenberch; Salah, Elliott, Gakpo; Jota
Paris Saint-Germain possible lineup: Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes; Ruiz, Vitinha, Neves; Kvaratskhelia, Dembélé, Barcola
