For the second consecutive season, Arne Slot and Liverpool faced off against Paris Saint-Germain at Anfield without securing a favorable outcome. After a disappointing exit from the FA Cup quarter-finals, Liverpool put up a more spirited performance in the Champions League quarter-finals, but the damage inflicted in the first leg in Paris proved insurmountable.
Ousmane Dembélé, who was ineffective in the first leg, sealed the match with a precise late goal, ensuring that Liverpool would not stage a remarkable European comeback this time around. Although Slot’s squad demonstrated determination and maintained hope for 72 minutes, the reigning European champions kept their composure to progress to the semi-finals. Dembélé added another goal during stoppage time, further solidifying PSG’s victory.
Before the match, a moment of silence was held to honor the 97 fans who tragically lost their lives at Hillsborough, coinciding with the 37th anniversary of the disaster. This tribute was observed with respect until it was unexpectedly interrupted by a shout in support of Liverpool. Both teams wore black armbands, and Slot utilized his program notes to voice his concerns regarding the absence of a Hillsborough Law, nearly two years into a Labour government that had promised its introduction. “The best way for the country to honor them after all this time would be to enact the law that the Hillsborough families and their supporters have been advocating for,” he stated.
On the pitch, Slot deployed an expensive yet rarely utilized forward trio of Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitiké, and Florian Wirtz to generate the scoring chances that had been lacking in Paris. The three players had accumulated just 88 minutes of play together after their combined £320 million signing last summer. With Mohamed Salah benched for the second consecutive match against PSG, Slot aimed to focus on both immediate improvement and future potential.
In this context, Slot’s lineup proved effective. Although PSG maintained their dangerous and dominant presence, Liverpool created more problems for the champions in the early moments than they had in their previous loss. Isak’s header from a Dominik Szoboszlai corner marked Liverpool’s first shot on target in the entire matchup. Their pressing strategy yielded results, leading to numerous turnovers in PSG’s midfield, while Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes struggled to advance from the full-back positions as successfully as they had in the first leg.
Despite Liverpool’s energized start, PSG nearly took the lead when they caught the home side off guard with a quick throw-in. Joã o Neves connected with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s cross, but Dembélé, with his back to goal, missed a close-range opportunity, shooting wildly over from six yards out—a miss that would have been crucial given his impact in the first leg.
Dembélé later attempted a clever chip that tested goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, who managed to recover and clear the danger after rushing out to intercept a through ball aimed at Warren Zaïre-Emery.
Liverpool faced a setback when Ekitiké was stretchered off due to an ankle injury after seemingly twisting it while chasing a pass from Wirtz. His painful exit led to a warm welcome for Salah. The atmosphere intensified when Salah’s first touch—a cross—was directed towards Ibrahima Konaté, whose header was expertly saved at close range by Safonov, just as Virgil van Dijk was poised to follow up on the rebound.
As halftime approached, Liverpool found themselves in precarious situations after being caught in possession, but Konaté made a vital clearance to prevent Dembélé from capitalizing on Hakimi’s delivery.
After a lackluster first half, Isak was substituted for Cody Gakpo, while Jeremie Frimpong was replaced by Joe Gomez. Liverpool emerged with renewed energy in the second half, as Ryan Gravenberch began to assert control in midfield with his dynamic runs.
Gakpo tested Safonov with a long-range effort, while Gomez headed over from the subsequent corner. Gravenberch came close to scoring, and Kerkez volleyed wide following a lovely pass from Salah.
Liverpool was granted a potential lifeline when referee Maurizio Mariani awarded a penalty after Willian Pacho fouled Alexis Mac Allister. However, Mariani reversed his decision after consulting VAR, determining that Mac Allister had made contact with the PSG defender.
Slot bolstered his attacking options with the introduction of Rio Ngumoha, who soon forced Safonov into another impressive save, but this left Liverpool vulnerable to counterattacks. The visitors extinguished Liverpool’s hopes when substitute Barcola broke down the left flank and found Kvaratskhelia, who set up Dembélé. From 20 yards out, Dembélé skillfully cut inside Mac Allister and delivered a precise shot into Mamardashvili’s bottom right corner, sealing the match for PSG.
