Liverpool refuse to wave white flag, but don’t bet on another famous comeback

Liverpool refuse to wave white flag, but don’t bet on another famous comeback Last updated 08 April 2026 11:34pm BST Save Share article Log in or Subscribe Copy link X Icon twitter Facebook Icon facebook WhatsApp Icon whatsapp email Add us as preferred source Add us as preferred source Copy link X Icon twitter Facebook Icon facebook WhatsApp Icon whatsapp email Liverpool did not manage a shot on Paris St-Germain’s goal across the 90 minutes Credit: Christian Hartmann/Reuters Rob Bagchi. Mike McGrath Parc des Princes Last updated 08 April 2026 11:34pm BST Save Share article Log in or Subscribe Copy link X Icon twitter Facebook Icon facebook WhatsApp Icon whatsapp email Add us as preferred source Add us as preferred source Copy link X Icon twitter Facebook Icon facebook WhatsApp Icon whatsapp email There was no sign of the white flag being waved, yet Liverpool had no answer to the attacking football in front of them here in Paris, embodied by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s wonder goal. He danced around opponents in the style of George Best before scoring and effectively sealing this tie. Liverpool have produced some of the greatest comebacks in Champions League history and it will take another to turn this around next week. They failed to lay a glove on the European champions, who could have added to the scoreline just like Manchester City at the weekend, when Virgil van Dijk admitted some players had given up. Arne Slot’s players could not be accused of that at Parc des Princes, but their body language raised the question: how can they score a goal against this PSG team? The reality is their season is now going to rest on whether they finish in the Premier League top five and be among Europe’s elite next season. This current team are playing like Thursday nights in the Europa League are on the horizon. Contrast this to PSG’s brand of dominance and entertainment. To some observers, Kvaratskhelia is the closest we have to a modern-day Best. He has the gait. He has the beard. And he has the feet, as he showed with his goal that finished off a 27-pass move (illustrated below), adding to Désiré Doué’s opening strike. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia with incredible composure and PSG lead Liverpool 2-0 🔥 📺 TNT Sports & HBO Max pic.twitter.com/ecBYcCYRBA — Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 8, 2026 Slot must now summon the spirit of 2005, when Liverpool never looked likely to win a fifth European Cup right up to half-time of the final. The similarities with Miracle of Istanbul are there, both occupying fifth place in the Premier League, which flatters the current set of players. For Steven Gerrard, read Dominik Szoboszlai. How the Hungary midfielder would love to be playing in this year’s Budapest final, just 45 minutes away from his home town of Szekesfehervar. But operating effectively in a midfield space against Vitinha and João Neves is almost impossible. Dominik Szoboszlai is Liverpool’s greatest hope of inspiring a comeback à la Steven Gerrard in 2005 Credit: Christophe Petit Tesson/Shutterstock PSG’s midfield is currently without Fabián Ruiz, but Warren Zaïre-Emery is a 20-year-old who dribbles around opponents while he is defending in his own penalty area. Like they did in this match, the French champions took control of matches in midfield last season on their way to winning Europe’s biggest prize, defeating Liverpool on the way. Slot had credited the defeat last season as helping Liverpool win the Premier League, easing the workload on his squad so they could get over the line. But Liverpool’s slump can be traced back to that defeat 13 months ago. The hard work had already been done in the title race and the wins dried up. They also lost the Carabao Cup final to Newcastle United straight after a shoot-out defeat by the French champions. They have not had a spellbinding run of form since. Even those victories at the start of the season were slender, with the help of the odd late goal. There have been some promising wins in the Champions League – notably against Real Madrid and Inter Milan – but this is the shadow of last season’s team at their best. Slot’s most revealing pre-match comment was his team being “quite experienced in terms of negativity”. That accusation could be levelled at his formation to face the European champions, with five defenders strung out across the back line. There is no option now but to attack at Anfield. Omitting Mohamed Salah from his starting line-up was another huge call. The greatest goalscorer currently playing in the Premier League he might be, but he does not get into Liverpool’s team for their biggest game of the season. What they gained in pressing, they lost in X factor going forward. Salah may have missed chances against City last weekend, but he is still getting in scoring positions.  "He'll be a little frustrated" Steven Gerrard and Steve McManaman discuss how Mo Salah must be feeling after PSG defeat... 🎙️ @laura_woodsy 📺 TNT Sports & HBO Max pic.twitter.com/nkjABceMmt — Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 8, 2026 “Tonight, awaken the Hulk within you,” read the banner unfurled by the PSG ultras, with a tifo of the action hero tearing apart the Liverpool badge. While Luis Enrique has forwards with superhuman pace, they needed a slice of luck and dreadful defending to open the scoring. PSG fans’ Hulk tifo was an impressive sight Credit: Mustafa Yalcin/Anadolu via Getty Images After threatening to rip open Slot’s defence as the giant banner demanded, Doué started and finished a move that exposed many of Liverpool’s weakness in a few seconds of attacking play. The 20-year-old first nudged Ibrahima Konaté off the ball to give PSG an overload of players. Ousmane Dembélé bundled his way past three challenges using muscle and determination over skill, setting up the chance for Doué on the edge of the area. Liverpool had recovered to a decent enough position, with four players around the France forward, yet they turned their back on him as he shot. The ball flicked off Ryan Gravenberch and looped over Giorgi Mamardashvili. A deflection from Desire Doue's shot catches the goalkeeper out and PSG lead against Liverpool 💥 📺 TNT Sports & HBO Max pic.twitter.com/En7rQrKtcS — Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 8, 2026 Slot swivelled on his heels in the technical area, exasperated at the misfortune. But his players were as much to blame as bad luck. From there, the body language of the Liverpool players was that of a team short of confidence and struggling to believe. Liverpool’s first shot came five minutes into the second half, such was PSG’s dominance. Hugo Ekitike’s effort was never threatening Matvey Safonov’s goal, but it was a shot nonetheless. Kvaratskhelia’s magical goal came when he beat Gravenberch to race through on goal, then came the throws of the shoulder. Over went Mamardashvili, as did Joe Gomez when he retreated to the goal-line. It was a stunning goal that included an nutmeg assist from Neves. There could have been another goal but VAR persuaded José María Sánchez Martínez to overturn his penalty award after a Konaté slide tackle. The France defender whipped up the away fans when the decision went his way. It gave them something to cheer about. He could easily have given another penalty away with a push. Should this have been a penalty...? 🤔 📺 TNT Sports & HBO Max pic.twitter.com/olG7i9FYqt — Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 8, 2026 Latest updates Rob Bagchi. Mike McGrath Parc des Princes 10:32PM And finally, here’s Arne Slot Link copied to clipboard If you reflect on the whole game we should be lucky to lose only 2-0 because they had more chances than the goals they scored. The first goal was hard because we had hardly given anything away before the deflection but after they had more. It’s very good for us that we are still in the tie and can bring them back to Anfield which, we all know how much of a difference Anfield can make for us. I watched the game yesterday between Bayern Munich and Real Madrid and saw how very important Manuel Neuer was for Bayern making many, many saves, that’s what Georgi [Mamardashvili] did for us today. You need performances like that against teams like Paris Saint-Germain. We tried to do everything to prevent them scoring, I think that is what you saw, but it was difficult. The moments when we needed Georgi he was there. Unfortunately the first one was deflected.  We want to create much more but they had the ball a lot, had incredible pace and tempo all over the place. You can se we tried many times to press them high and it worked a few times but when we went man-to-man they went past us. In a low block we [were harder to beat] but then the first goal was when we were in a low block.  A few times players were in promising positions, Hugo [Ekitike] once with Marquinhos, but that is also their quality.  I stood here [in a] similar [position] last season. Although we won, the game was like that [PSG dominant]. But at Anfield it was a completely different game and we are still in this tie.  10:14PM Virgil van Dijk speaks to TNT Sports Link copied to clipboard Tough work but it was expected. I think we defended with a lot of bodies around the box. The first goal was a deflection. Not happy losing here whatsoever. But we have another game next week and a quick turnaround. They move around everywhere, it’s what they do. You have to take risks, wait for the right moment to win the ball and hit them on the counter. We didn’t do that hut hopefully we can do that better at Anfield next week.  Hopefully the saves will be very crucial. Last year we should have lost but won it and Ali[sson] had the best match of his career. We have to have a special performance next week but we have a very important game against Fulham before that and we have to focus on that.  They are European champions let’s not forget. Away or home it doesn’t matter for them [PSG]. Hopefully our fans can play a big part next week. I have seen many special things at Anfield. They are the backbone of our club. We have to be absolutely spot-on in everything we do and hopefully the fans can play a big part in that as well. 9:58PM That dominance in stats Link copied to clipboard PSG had 74 per cent possession, 18 shots with six on target compared with Liverpool’s three and zero, 683 passes with a success rate of 92 per cent compared with Liverpool’s 189 at 75 per cent.   9:56PM Full time: PSG 2 Liverpool 0 Link copied to clipboard Liverpool walk off with a chance next week but were outclassed at times and PSG really should have put the tie to bed with the number of chances they created. And they should have had a penalty at the death, too. Liverpool, on this showing, don’t look good enough to prevail next week and they created virtually nothing here apart from the odd long throw. PSG were too slick but lacked the killer instinct of last year’s final.  9:53PM 90+2 min: PSG 2 Liverpool 0 Link copied to clipboard PSG should have been given a penalty, a stonebonker for Konate’s lazy shove on Nuno Mendes who had left him in his dust. But the ref doesn’t give it and the VAR lets it ride, too. That really should have been a red card, too. Should this have been a penalty...? 🤔 📺 TNT Sports & HBO Max pic.twitter.com/olG7i9FYqt — Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 8, 2026 9:51PM 90 min: PSG 2 Liverpool 0 Link copied to clipboard Three minutes are added and Ngumoha replaces Frimpong.  9:50PM 88 min: PSG 2 Liverpool 0 Link copied to clipboard PSG tear Liverpool wide open again and really should have scored when Hakimi sprints down the outside of Van Dijk, enters the box and squares it to his left to his fellow full-back Nuno Mendes. Instead of clipping a first-time shot from 15 yards or so, he takes a touch and scuffs the ball away from him and danger.    9:48PM 86 min: PSG 2 Liverpool 0 Link copied to clipboard But the problem with that is that individual errors and the opposition’s individual brilliance can leave them wide open. First Kvaratskhelia jigs in from the left again, twists Konaté‘s blood, then uncharacteristically loses the ball. Then Frimpong gets his feet wrong as he tries to head it clear and PSG flood through on the break and Dembélé smashes a shot on to the right post.  9:46PM 83 min: PSG 2 Liverpool 0 Link copied to clipboard PSG hog the ball and Liverpool seem happy to let them keep it as long as they can hold them at arm’s length  9:42PM 81 min: PSG 2 Liverpool 0 Link copied to clipboard Nuno Mendes flies down the left but takes it too far. The ball seems to go out before he cuts it back to set up a pass that gives Hakimi a shot that Mamardashvili saves well. I think it wouldn’t have counted but the keeper should still have the laurels for stopping the shot.  9:39PM 79 min: PSG 2 Liverpool 0 Link copied to clipboard Kvaratskhelia treats that left-hand side as if he owns the freehold, skittering past Frimpong to stand up a cross to the back post. Lee should go for goal but instead heads it back to Dembélé giving Gomez time to charge in and block off his chance of a shot on goal.  9:37PM 77 min: PSG 2 Liverpool 0 Link copied to clipboard Liverpool are living dangerously, allowing PSG to occupy the penalty area as they try to block shots and force passes instead. They get away with it. Changes afoot: Lee → Doué Robertson → Kerkez Isak → Ekitike Jones → Szoboszlia Gakpo → Wirtz 9:35PM 74 min: PSG 2 Liverpool 0 Link copied to clipboard When that penalty was given there must have been fears that Liverpool were going to do a Chelsea and leave themselves far too much to do. But two down just about gives them a chance.  9:33PM No penalty Link copied to clipboard And the yellow card is rescinded. The centre-half had slid in from behind Zaire-Emery after another scintillating attacking move of multiple passes. Konaté managed to hook the ball away but also brought the midfielder down. But there was very little contact and justice has been served. Quickly, too, which is the Uefa style rather than the ridiculous system in England. VAR tells the referee to have another look at his decision to award PSG a penalty Credit: TNT Sports 9:31PM PSG penalty? Link copied to clipboard The referee has given it but has been called to the screen for Konaté‘s ‘foul’ on Zaire-Emery.  9:24PM GOAL! Link copied to clipboard PSG 2 Liverpool 0 (Kvaratskhelia) Brilliant goal though Slot won’t be happy. Kvaratskhelia is 10 yards inside the Liverpool half after an epic passing move from PSG and plays it out to Joao Neves who knocks it up the inside-left for the winger to run on to. He sprints to gather the pass, strides past Gravenberch, leaving him gasping and floundering on the floor. Mamardashvili had come eight yards off his line to help so he knocked it to the keeper’s right with his left foot, cutting inside to leave him stranded, and rolled his shot into the virtually empty net. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia with incredible composure and PSG lead Liverpool 2-0 🔥 📺 TNT Sports & HBO Max pic.twitter.com/ecBYcCYRBA — Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 8, 2026 9:23PM 63 min: PSG 1 Liverpool 0 Link copied to clipboard Liverpool defend the corner solidly but back come PSG, stroking the ball around, probing, dragging the Liverpool banks from right to left and back again.  9:22PM 61 min: PSG 1 Liverpool 0 Link copied to clipboard Kerkez with another defensive error. He’s very rash. Diving in to try to intercept a pass down the right vertical line of the penalty box he lets Hakimi in behind him and needs Gomez to block another cross from the marauding right-back.  9:20PM 58 min: PSG 1 Liverpool 0 Link copied to clipboard Mac Allister throws himself back on the floor like a child mid-tantrum when the referee does not award Liverpool a free-kick. Pacho had stood on Mac Allister’s foot as he was dribbling down the middle. It should have been given. Poor shout.  9:18PM 56 min: PSG 1 Liverpool 0 Link copied to clipboard Safonov races out of his box to head a long ball away and takes himself out of the picture by heading it upwards. Ekitike gathers and tries to knock it over Pacho but the centre-half gets up to head it away. Wouldn’t have counted as Ekitike was offside.  Dembélé blazes over Credit: Christian Hartmann/REUTERS 9:14PM 54 min: PSG 1 Liverpool 0 Link copied to clipboard Big chance for Dembélé after Kvaratskhelia’s piercing run down the inside left but the Ballon d’Or’s golden balls blasts it over wastefully with his left from 15 yards.  9:13PM 52 min: PSG 1 Liverpool 0 Link copied to clipboard Mistake by Kerkez, who protests in vain that he was fouled, allows Hakimi to stride into the box and head to the byline. But with no one to oass to he has to wait too long and lets Gomez back in to make the block.  9:11PM 50 min: PSG 1 Liverpool 0 Link copied to clipboard Smaet break by Liverpool up the left after another snake-eyed look of disapproval from Van Dijk to Gomez when his team-mate didn’t call for the ball. They get away with the hesitancy and work the ball to Ekitike who ignores Kerkez’s clever run to tack in across the 18 yard line to wrap his right instep around a shot that misses the top corner by miles. In fact it continues to climb for some time.  9:07PM 48 min: PSG 1 Liverpool 0 Link copied to clipboard Liverpool have a throw-in on the left that Gomez hurls in. Konaté heads it on and Safonov cleans out Pacho to get to the ball and punch it away.   9:06PM 46 min: PSG 1 Liverpool 0 Link copied to clipboard No changes. Isak has ‘20 minutes in him’, said Slot before the game and he was out warning up vigorously too.  ‘Even PSG are kicking the ball out from the kick-off,’ says Darren Fletcher. They’ve been doing it for more than a year. Though this time they go too long and boot it out for a goal-kick.  9:03PM Away from the dressing room Link copied to clipboard Salah warming up at the interval on the pitch. Don’t think he’ll be on straight away.  8:54PM That dominance… Link copied to clipboard PSG have had 71 per cent of the possession, four shots on target to Liverpool’s none and 325 passes with an accuracy rate of 91 per cent to Liverpool’s 83 at 70 per cent.  8:51PM Half-time verdict Link copied to clipboard There is only a goal in this tie but PSG are in control. Luis Enrique’s players seem to have a mindset of wanting to entertain as well as win. Liverpool will be fairly happy with the scoreline considering the dominance of the hosts.  8:51PM Half-time: PSG 1 Liverpool 0 Link copied to clipboard The half ends after Dembélé‘s show of patience on the right side of the Liverpool box as he waited for runners and then picked out Joao Neves who dragged his effort wide. Joao Neves cannot believe he missed that Credit: Thibault Camus/AP Liverpool are at the races in this game, playing much better than they have for weeks. But the formation doesn’t suit them and creaks at times. Still, if they can take this back to Anfield only one behind, they’ll be happy. 8:48PM 43 min: PSG 1 Liverpool 0 Link copied to clipboard Terrific move by PSG, Joao Neves with a peach of a volleyed pass to Vitinha who knocked it on first time up the left to Kvaratskhelia. The winger lengthened his stride elegantly, drew Konaté then squared it to Doué on the 18-yard line to shoot but instead he laid it off to his right to Dembélé who shot tamely at the keeper who could have thrown his cap on it, even if he is hatless. Doué should have taken the shot on.  8:45PM 41 min: PSG 1 Liverpool 0 Link copied to clipboard Liverpool’s best move of the game ends with Frimpong volleying across goal from the right and wide by about a yard. But he was in an offside position when receiving Wirtz’s excellently disguised pass.  8:44PM 39 min: PSG 1 Liverpool 0 Link copied to clipboard But Liverpool can’t clear their lines and back come PSG. Some awful ‘after you, Claude’ nonsense between Kerkez and his keeper ends with Kerkez seizing the initiative too late and passing straight to Kvaratskhelia who powers in off the right wing, beats the left-back and thumps a right-foot shot into the side-netting.  8:41PM 37 min: PSG 1 Liverpool 0 Link copied to clipboard Another fine save from Mamardashvili keeps Liverpool in it when Doué is played in down the inside-left by Nuno Mendes’ pass and he storms past Konaté to stab a shot fro 15 yards that the Georgia keeper gets down rapidly to stop.  8:39PM 35 min: PSG 1 Liverpool 0 Link copied to clipboard Mac Allister is almost made to pay twice when Kvaratskhelia takes the knockdown from the free-kick and hammers a volley that hits the Argentinian World Cup-winner on the tuchas as he turned and spins towards the bottom left. Mamardashvili dives across to make a good save with a firm right wrist.  8:36PM 33 min: PSG 1 Liverpool 0 Link copied to clipboard PSG break down the right and Mac Allister wipes out Doué with a lunge across his stride long after the ball had gone. Yellow card and there could be no quibbling with that.   8:34PM 31 min: PSG 1 Liverpool 0 Link copied to clipboard Szoboszlai picks Vitinha’s pocket over by the left touchline, feeds Gravenberch who picks out Wirtz. The Germany playmaker then bends a pass out to Frimpong on the right and he drives towards the box, bursting past Nuno Mendes and pulls a pass back to the 18-yard line where Zaire-Emery, with the insouciance of youth, takes it away from Szoboszlai with a flick of the sole of his boot.  8:31PM 29 min: PSG 1 Liverpool 0 Link copied to clipboard Gomez is given an unfair booking for a good sliding tackle in which he wins the ball. Moments earlier the wonderful Szoboszlai picks out Gravenberch with a cute pass but the move is snuffed out in a congested penalty area. Only six players have scored 10+ Champions League goals before turning 21: Erling Haaland (20) Kylian Mbappe (19) Karim Benzema (12) Jude Bellingham (10) Lamine Yamal (10) Désiré Doué (10) 🆕 pic.twitter.com/cFIzZJ6fYq — Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 8, 2026 8:30PM 26 min: PSG 1 Liverpool 0 Link copied to clipboard Break in play while Nuno Mendes has treatment, needing an inhaler to catch his breath.  8:29PM 24 min: PSG 1 Liverpool 0 Link copied to clipboard Liverpool are finding it hard to make any space through the middle but are making more progress down the right.  8:27PM 22 min: PSG 1 Liverpool 0 Link copied to clipboard Liverpool shuffle across into a back four when the ball is on the PSG left, Kerkez stays high, as does Frimpong when it’s on the other side.  Bruce Banner goes spare Credit: Lee Smith/Action Images via Reuters 8:24PM 20 min: PSG 1 Liverpool 0 Link copied to clipboard Safonov makes a crucial intervention at the corner, not so much a save but a dive across the six-yard box, more horizontal than vertical, to punch Szoboszlai’s brute of a cross away from Kerkez to start a break. Zaire-Emery glides off upfield but loses control. Safonov punches it away Credit: Stephanie Lecocq/Reuters 8:22PM 18 min: PSG 1 Liverpool 0 Link copied to clipboard A couple of promising raids up the right from Liverpool with Szoboszlai, Wirtz and Frimpong but the Dutch wing-back’s crosses are overhit. They do a earn a corner, though, when Safonov goes safety-first and punches a long throw out.  8:20PM 15 min: PSG 1 Liverpool 0 Link copied to clipboard Van Dijk is livid with Konaté and Gomez. I think he’s supposed to be in front of them in an inverse V but he keeps being left as the deepest and he’s the slowest of the trio.  8:19PM 13 min: PSG 1 Liverpool 0 Link copied to clipboard Kvaratskhelia, who is on a yellow card coming into the tie, escapes another for a cynical foul on Konaté. 8:14PM GOAL! Link copied to clipboard PSG 1 Liverpool 0 (Doué) Mamardashvili could do nothing about that. Liverpool had plenty of red shirts back but first they let Dembélé‘s flick reach Doué on the left then Frimpong and Wirtz let the France winger cut in on to his left to shoot. The shot hits Gravenberch and loops over him, creeping under the bar even though he was at the apex of his leap. Mamardashvili would have needed to be 8ft to save that. A deflection from Desire Doue's shot catches the goalkeeper out and PSG lead against Liverpool 💥 📺 TNT Sports & HBO Max pic.twitter.com/En7rQrKtcS — Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 8, 2026 8:13PM 10 min: PSG 0 Liverpool 0 Link copied to clipboard PSG break upfield from a throw-in and work the ball quickly from left to right to Doué with that familiar slick passing and elusive movement. Gomez makes a positional mistake to tuck in too close to Van Dijk leaving a gap for Doué to shoot through but Szoboszlai is there to block.  Vitinha is a ball magnet for his team-mates Credit: Aurelien Morissard/AP 8:10PM 8 min: PSG 0 Liverpool 0 Link copied to clipboard Screeching whistles as Liverpool take their time over a throw-in fairly high on the right. Gomez comes over from the left to hurl it in eventually. Van Dijk gets the flick-on at the near post but PSG clear the second ball and begin a counter up the right.  8:08PM 6 min: PSG 0 Liverpool 0 Link copied to clipboard Vitinha, who will probably touch the ball 200 times in his string-pulling role, breaks between Gravenberch and Mac Allister but Liverpool’s back line holds firm, PSG go backwards and then Vitinha’s attempt to chip the ball over Gomez for Hakimi is overhit and skips out for a goalkick.  8:07PM 4 min: PSG 0 Liverpool 0 Link copied to clipboard Hakimi now pops up at inside-right as PSG also switch to three at the back in possession and they pass it around, pulling Liverpool from side to side but without making much progress as yet up the field.  8:05PM 2 min: PSG 0 Liverpool 0 Link copied to clipboard Nuno Mendes chips  a long pass up the left to Hakimi, the right-back on the left wing, catching Frimpong too high up the pitch. But his pass inside, looking for Doué, is dealt with by Gomez.  8:03PM 1 min: PSG 0 Liverpool 0 Link copied to clipboard After a minute’s applause for Mircea Lucescu, the former Romania captain and head coach whose death was announced yesterday, Liverpool kick off, attacking from left to right, overloading heavily on the left and Konaté knocks it up that wing but Gomez, who is the left-sided centre-back of the three, heads it out for a PSG throw.   7:59PM The players come out Link copied to clipboard Handel hits the airwaves. Both sides in their home kits, Liverpool in red, PSG in navy with maroon trim.  Here’s that Hulk tifo: « Ce soir réveillez le Hulk qui est en vous »@RMCsport #RMCLive #PSGLIV pic.twitter.com/p7uAj7MnWB — Arthur Perrot (@ArthurPerrot) April 8, 2026 7:57PM Red, white, blue and… green? Link copied to clipboard “Tonight, awaken the Hulk within you,” reads a banner unfurled by the PSG ultras, with a Tifo of the superhero ripping a Liverpool badge in two. PSG fly their flags Credit: Stephanie Lecocq/REUTERS 7:49PM Arne Slot speaks to TNT Sports Link copied to clipboard Obviously we’re very motivated but we’re motivated for every competition. Having said that, after the 4-0 loss at the Etihad, in some parts of the game people might doubt that but I would never doubt my players. I know they always give their best and sometimes, as we saw in 20 minutes at the Etihad, that is not enough. But we will try again in this game to represent the Liverpool shirt in the best possible way. The thinking [behind the formation change] is that we are playing a team that is constantly changing positions. So I thought let’s pick a line-up where people will argue what our formation is. We’ll see in about an hour what the idea is. We can play in different ways with the players we have on the pitch.  It is always difficult to leave players out who work so hard and deserve to start. Mo [Salah], it is always difficult given how influential he has been for the club and for me, how hard he works for the club and for me but not many times this season I have had to make decisions like that [leaving] very good players out. But you see that [rotation] with Man City, PSG and more and more with us that we have players on the bench who can impact the game – Robbo [Andy Robertson], Isak, Chiesa, Curtis Jones. We are in a much better place than we have been in almost at any other stage of the season when you see our bench.  7:28PM The following players are all on a yellow card and another would rule them out of the second leg Link copied to clipboard PSG Nuno Mendes and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. Liverpool  Virgil van Dijk, Curtis Jones and Ryan Gravenberch.  7:26PM Last year in Paris Link copied to clipboard Sit back and enjoy the Alisson masterclass from tonight 🍿 All the saves from a memorable night for the Reds. pic.twitter.com/H3DPCC21M8 — Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 5, 2025 7:24PM Luis Enrique arrives Link copied to clipboard No pyro no party Credit: Lee Smith/Action Images via Reuters 7:17PM Five or four not three? Link copied to clipboard There was a bit of chat earlier in the day about whether Slot would play five at the back. Uefa’s team-sheet has Liverpool down as a 4-2-3-1, which is their usual formation. But they could slip into a 5-4-1 quite easily if Frimpong drops to right wing-back, with Joe Gomez becoming the third centre-back.   7:08PM TNT Sports is reporting that Liverpool are playing with a back three Link copied to clipboard PSG Safonov; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Nuno Mendes; Zaïre-Emery, Vitinha, Neves; Doué, Dembélé, Kvaratskhelia. Substitutes Chevalier, Marin, Lucas Beraldo, Zabarnyi, Goncalo Ramos, Lee, Hernández, Mayulu, Fernández, Mbaye. Liverpool Mamardashvili; Gomez, Konaté, Van Dijk; Frimpong, Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Kerkez; Szoboszlai, Wirtz; Ekitike. Substitutes Woodman, Misciur, Isak, Salah, Chiesa, Jones, Gakpo, Robertson, Nyoni, Ngumoha. Referee José María Sánchez (Spain) 7:04PM Two months away… Link copied to clipboard 6:58PM It is painful to watch Mohamed Salah’s decline Link copied to clipboard For any fan of attacking football, this incredible decline of Mohamed Salah is sad, painful even, to witness. He was the last Liverpool player to leave the Etihad Stadium pitch at the final whistle but most fans in the away end had already left early. His final seven Premier League games for Liverpool should be a farewell celebration tour for the greatest goalscorer currently playing in the competition. But this long goodbye could turn into a damp squib given the way Arne Slot’s team are struggling and Salah is tailing off in his final season at Anfield. 6:55PM Slump started in this fixture Link copied to clipboard Liverpool’s slump can be traced back to facing PSG last season. While they won the first leg here at the Parc Des Princes, they have never fully recovered their form since. Shortly after that Champions League defeat, they lost the Carabao Cup final. They had enough points in the bag to win the title. And this season has not seen them hit the same heights as Slot’s first season in English football.   6:54PM On the ground Link copied to clipboard Mohamed Salah has been dropped for Liverpool’s clash against Paris Saint-Germain tonight. The club’s greatest goalscorer in the Premier League era missed a penalty against Manchester City at the weekend and has been replaced by Jeremie Frimpong. Arne Slot has made one other change from the City defeat, with Curtis Jones missing out and Alexis Mac Allister coming in.  6:52PM PSG team news Link copied to clipboard No alarms and no surprises: Safonov; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Nuno Mendes; Zaïre-Emery, Vitinha, Joao Neves; Doué, Dembélé, Kvaratskhelia. Subs TBC 6:49PM Liverpool team news Link copied to clipboard Salah and Jones replaced by Frimpong and Mac Allister in starting XI; Isak returns on the bench after lay-off from injury sustained at Spurs on December 20.  The Reds to take on PSG 🔴 #UCL — Liverpool FC (@LFC) April 8, 2026 6:34PM Wirtz: We were too wild – we have to stick together Link copied to clipboard Florian Wirtz has rejected Virgil van Dijk’s damning suggestion that Liverpool players gave up during their 4-0 drubbing by Manchester City. Van Dijk was blunt in assessing the ruthless FA Cup quarter-final defeat at the Etihad but Wirtz claimed he had not even seen his captain’s comments. The German also argued that the players had actually tried too hard during part of the match. “I didn’t know about this, that he said this,” said Wirtz, who joined Liverpool last summer for £116m. “I would not agree directly – we still tried to create chances to turn the game around. We tried to give our best in the game. “On the weekend, we tried too much I think at one point. We were a little bit wild on the pitch. We have to fix that. We have to stick together, also in the bad moments.” If anything Liverpool tried too hard at the Etihad on Saturday according to Florian Wirtz Credit: Mike Egerton/PA Van Dijk, who has won eight major trophies during his eight years with Liverpool, said that the team had let down both their manager and the fans, before pointedly adding: “But also you shouldn’t give up, and that’s maybe what happened at a certain point.” Upon arriving at the Parc des Princes for their Champions League quarter-final first leg against defending Paris St Germian, Wirtz was also asked if the players still had faith in Slot, whose position has come under enormous scrutiny following Saturday’s defeat. With the gap to Arsenal in the Premier League now 21 points, the Champions League is Liverpool’s last remaining hope of a trophy this season. Asked if they were still playing for the manager, Wirtz said: “Yes of course we are believing in the manager. The team should believe in the manager because they won the league last season. We have a lot of good games this season.” Slot himself was more nuanced in responding to Van Dijk’s comments, claiming that Liverpool had actually played well in going toe-to-toe with Manchester City for the opening 35 minutes. “Usually in football moments that hurt you most are just before half time and just after half time,” said Slot of City’s burst of goals between the 39th and 57th minute. “[At 3-0] I saw indeed five minutes in between where it was too open and players were struggling. After the 4-0, City seemed to be OK with the 4-0. We had the ball. Not able to create that much any more. I didn’t see players giving up in the part of the game “But I think it’s also good from a captain that he has a strong and firm reaction after a game like that. Hopefully it’s not only immediately after a game and we can as a team show a strong and firm reaction. “[It was] the only four chances we gave away in the game by the way. The good thing is that during this year we have become quite experienced in terms of negativity because of all the setbacks we have had this season.” 5:47PM Betting on tonight’s game? Link copied to clipboard Advertisement | GambleAware | 18+ Betting on the football tonight? Take a look at these tips and offers chosen by Telegraph Media Group 5:45PM Thirteen months of divergence Link copied to clipboard Good evening and welcome to live coverage of the Champions League quarter-final, first leg match between the champions, Paris Saint-Germain, and Liverpool at Parc des Princes. Thirteen months ago this was the pick of the round of 16 ties and comprised two terrific games, Liverpool’s 1-0 victory in the Eternal City coming by virtue of Harvey Elliott’s late goal, a minute after coming on as a substitute, and a virtuoso act in goal by Alisson. A week later Ousmane Dembélé would level the tie at Anfield in one of the finest European matches this author has ever seen before PSG and Gigi Donnarumma saw off the hosts in the shoot-out, the giant octopus of a goalkeeper making magnificent saves from Darwin Núñez and Curtis Jones, both of which were respectable efforts. Liverpool would go on to win the Premier League, PSG their 13th Ligue 1 and maiden Champions League and although tonight’s home side decided to get rid of Donnarumma which has demonstrably weakened them, the visitors’s starting XI is in far worse shape a season on despite their massive outlay, having tragically lost Diogo Jota and, more prosaically, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Luis Díaz.  Their 4-0 defeat by Manchester City in the FA Cup and recent defeats by Brighton and Wolves in the league have exposed glaring defensive vulnerabilities. While all the focus has been on Mohammed Salah’s waning powers, Virgil van Dijk’s have been overlooked and could give Dembélé, Bradley Barcola and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia the space to run riot unless Liverpool wake up. And they won’t have Alisson, missing with an unspecified injury, to bail them out if they let those three gazelles run in behind.   Wataru Endo, Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni are still unavailable and will be for the rest of the season but Alexander Isak, English football’s most expensive player, has travelled. PSG, who lead Ligue 1 by four points with a game in hand, are at full strength apart from Fabian Ruiz and young Quentin Ndantjou.