PSG have taken a big step towards the Champions League semi-finals.
Fielding the strongest possible side without the injured Fabian Ruiz and Bradley Barcola, Luis Enrique played no surprises at the start of this Champions League quarter-final first leg against Liverpool. Arne Slot, meanwhile, opted for a defensive setup with three center-backs and a very deep defensive line early on. This shows just how much he fears the reigning European champions. There was far less space than last season, but that didn’t stop Désiré Doué from opening the scoring in magnificent fashion. His right-footed shot, deflected by Gravenberch, looped over Mamardashvili and nestled under the bar (1-0, 11’). In the second half, Kvaratskhelia pulled off a brilliant bit of skill in the Reds’ box, holding off Gravenberch, evading Mamardashvili, and scoring with his right foot (2-0).
Advertisement
All the starting players performed well in this Champions League quarter-final, with the exception of Dembélé.
With Safonov in fine form and the defense rock-solid, Liverpool posed very little threat. The midfield trio of João Neves, Vitinha, and Zaïre-Emery dominated the Reds’ midfield. Doué and Kvaratskhelia were on the scoresheet. The Georgian has also become the first player in history to score in four consecutive Paris SG matches in the Champions League knockout stages.
Ousmane Dembélé was the only attacking player not to score in this first leg of the quarter-final.
He missed three chances, two of which were clear-cut. In the first half, the Parisians put together a superb move, building from their own half. Kvaratskhelia found Doué in the center, who, at the end of his run, played the ball out to Dembélé 15 meters out. The Ballon d’Or winner, perfectly positioned, blasted his left-footed shot wide (42’). In the second half, Kvaratskhelia played Mendes in on the left of the box. A cut-back cross later, Dembélé found himself unmarked 10 meters out, but missed the target with his left foot, shooting over the bar (53’). Finally, set up by Nuno Mendes, he hit the Liverpool post (2-0, 87’).
Advertisement
Paris could have gone 5-0 or 6-0 up and killed off any suspense ahead of next week’s return leg at Anfield.
The Parisians missed four huge chances through Doué, Dembélé, and Nuno Mendes. In the Champions League and at this stage of the competition, the European champions should have been more clinical in front of goal.
Finally, a brilliant atmosphere at the Parc des Princes.
As always on European match nights. A magnificent tifo as the players entered the pitch, a huge amount of noise in the first half – I couldn’t hear the journalist next to me. Slightly less noise in the second half, but from the moment Kvaratskhelia scored, we couldn’t hear a word. What a night for the European champions and for the whole of the Parc des Princes.
