PSG vs Liverpool – News and Probable Lineups

As Liverpool prepares to take on Paris Saint-Germain in the opening leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Wednesday night, it’s clear that French magic will need to happen once more for Arne Slot to extend the Reds’ European journey.

Last season, inspired by Harvey Elliott, the Premier League champions claimed a memorable 1-0 victory at the Parc des Princes, though it was soon outweighed when Luis Enrique’s side answered back at Anfield from the penalty spot.

Match overview

As Liverpool faces a team in blue for the third successive match, they certainly felt the pressure against both Brighton & Hove Albion and Manchester City, with the latter harshly dismantling Slot’s team in the FA Cup.

After a two-week break during the international fixtures, it seems Liverpool did not benefit much, as an electrifying hat-trick from Erling Haaland and a slick goal from Antoine Semenyo propelled Manchester City to a 4-0 victory over the Reds.

In the words of Virgil van Dijk, the English champions “gave up” at the Etihad; a concerning admission for fans, players, and a beleaguered Slot, who appears to be losing supporters weekly, although he has yet to face dismissal.

However, the former Feyenoord coach has now witnessed 15 defeats across all competitions this season – Liverpool’s highest in a single season since Brendan Rodgers’ 2014-15 campaign – and has only managed one victory in five, with the exception of a solid Champions League win against Galatasaray in the last-16 second leg.

Before that 4-0 triumph, the Reds had previously been beaten 1-0 in the away leg, and they have now faced an unattractive four defeats in their last five away matches across all competitions, with their sole win coming against Championship-bound Wolverhampton Wanderers.

National champions face off in this UCL quarter-final clash, but while Liverpool appears to be surrendering their Premier League title quietly, PSG is firmly back in control of the Ligue 1 title race.

Lens were previously making a notable push to disrupt Les Parisiens’ dominance, but recent stumbles have allowed Enrique’s team to extend a four-point lead at the top, with a game still in hand.

Recently, the hosts secured a comfortable 3-1 win over Toulouse, aided significantly by a double from Ousmane Dembele, which extended their winning streak to four matches in all competitions, two of which saw Enrique’s champions best a lackluster Chelsea side.

Speaking of impressive runs, PSG has successfully progressed from each of their last four Champions League quarter-final ties and holds a seven-match unbeaten streak against English sides in the competition, winning five of these encounters.

While it may be easy to identify the last Premier League side to overcome PSG in Europe, it is notable that both teams also have three wins against each other in official UEFA fixtures – providing Liverpool supporters with a slim glimmer of hope.

Team News

Liverpool has emerged from Saturday’s defeat without any fresh injury worries and is pleased to welcome back Mohamed Salah, Federico Chiesa, and Jeremie Frimpong from their injuries, although Alexander Isak (leg) is still not ready for selection.

The £125m forward may be considered for a spot on the bench this week, but Alisson Becker (unspecified) could remain sidelined for the rest of the month, while Conor Bradley (knee), Giovanni Leoni (ACL), and Wataru Endo (ankle) are done for the season.

Slot’s first adjustment for Wednesday could involve bringing in Frimpong for Joe Gomez, though Salah will certainly keep his place in the lineup, notwithstanding having a penalty saved by James Trafford on that unfortunate afternoon in Manchester.

While Salah is expected to play midweek, one potential contender to replace him at Anfield – Bradley Barcola – will not feature, as he is still recuperating from an ankle sprain and could also miss the second leg next week.

Fabian Ruiz (knee) and teenage forward Quentin Ndjantou (unspecified) are also unavailable, although Senny Mayulu – who scored against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge – has returned to training following a minor calf issue.

Neither Vitinha, Joao Neves, nor Nuno Mendes were included in the starting XI against Toulouse, but all three are set to reclaim their positions on Tuesday night, as well as the enduring captain Marquinhos.

Paris Saint-Germain probable starting XI:

Safonov; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes; Zaire-Emery, Vitinha, Neves; Doue, Dembele, Kvaratskhelia

Liverpool probable starting XI:

Mamardashvili; Frimpong, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Wirtz; Ekiti

Liverpool has a remarkable record, as not a single one of their previous 36 competitive matches against French teams has ended in a 0-0 draw, making a dull stalemate unlikely at the Parc des Princes, where it could become quite chaotic for the Reds.

When it comes to scoring, we anticipate PSG to put on a performance reminiscent of Manchester City on Tuesday night, leaving Liverpool needing to emulate a Barcelona-like comeback next week to keep their Champions League ambitions alive.