Hot favourites to lift the trophy just a year ago, Liverpool head to the Parc des Princes with far less certainty. With a worrying run of form, the absence of Alisson Becker and a team that is falling apart, the Reds go into this first leg of the quarter-final against Paris Saint-Germain with more doubts than confidence.
Deeply scarred by their elimination at the hands of PSG in March 2025, Liverpool face their nemesis again in unfavourable circumstances. Fifth in the Premier League and thrashed 4-0 by Manchester City in the FA Cup on Saturday, Arne Slot’s men arrive in the French capital in a fragile state, whilst the reigning European champions display a calm confidence.
A much less solid Liverpool
The contrast with last season’s Liverpool is striking. Thirteen months ago, the Reds relied on a stable backbone and an Alisson Becker capable of saving the day single-handedly. Without their Brazilian goalkeeper, with Mohamed Salah out of form and already 15 defeats to their name despite a €500 million transfer window, the team is sending out alarming signals. The thrashing they received in Manchester highlighted a mental and defensive fragility that is becoming difficult to hide at this level of competition.
The performance offers little reassurance either, as Liverpool have been prone to lapses and struggle to maintain a solid line against top-flight sides. Without Alisson, their build-up play lacks security and the defence drops back too early, reinforcing this sense of fragility. This is precisely the weakness that PSG love to exploit at the Parc. The Parisians face a less cohesive, less confident Scouser side, deprived of their most reliable last line of defence, opening the door to a one-sided affair.
Paris have the weapons to cause serious damage
Individual talent remains, however, capable of turning a match on a dime, as demonstrated by Salah or former Parisian Hugo Ekitike, who has had a convincing first season. The Reds remain a genuine threat on the counter-attack and from set pieces. But to survive this first leg, they will need a near-perfect performance and a mental resilience that their recent form no longer guarantees.
The real fear for the English side lies in PSG’s ability to make the difference from the outset. If Paris impose their pressing game and monopolise possession, the match could quickly turn into a nightmare for a defence under severe pressure. Luis Enrique may well reject the label of favourites, but his team go into this fixture in far better shape. A rout is not a foregone conclusion, but given the Reds’ form, Liverpool are heading to Paris with a real sense of dread.
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