- PSG rest players ahead of Liverpool clash
- Ligue 1 side eased to a win over Toulouse
- Reds were thrashed by Manchester City
Liverpool travel to face Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter final this week at the Parc des Princes in Paris.
Everything you need for PSG vs Liverpool on April 8, 2026. From Barcola’s injury to the return of Vitinha, we break down the tactics for the Champions League clash
The Reds go into the game after a 4-0 thrashing at the hands of Manchester City, which knocked them out of the Emirates FA Cup. Arne Slot’s side have lost their last two matches in all competitions, and are looking to bounce back to winning ways.
Paris Saint Germain faced 10th-placed Toulouse in the Ligue 1 match on Friday, April 3, and eased to a 3-1 win. The French side started with a strong XI but managed to give their key players enough rest.
Ousmane Dembele played the whole game and scored a brace in the first half. The Frenchman was the only attacker to play the full match, as Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia came off in the second half, when they were 2-1 ahead.
Goncalo Ramos, who came on with just minutes left in the match, scored a third goal to seal the win for the table toppers. Vitinha, Nuno Mendes, and Joao Neves were also named on the bench for the match, but came on in the second half.
Marquinhos was the only starter to get a complete rest, with the Brazilian staying on the bench. Achraf Hakimi, Willian Pacho, and Warren Zaïre-Emery also played the full match for PSG and are expected to start vs Liverpool.
The news makes things worse for the Reds, who are already without Alisson for the two matches against PSG.
PSG have Ligue 1 match postponed for Liverpool second leg
PSG were scheduled to face Lens in Ligue 1 this weekend after the first leg of the quarterfinals against Liverpool. The match has since been rescheduled by the league despite the Blood and Gold opposing the decision.
“Changing the date of this match today would mean that Racing Club de Lens would not play competitively for 15 days, and would then have to play matches every three days. It’s a schedule that is not in keeping with the one that was set at the start of the season, and it does not work for a club who cannot deal with these new constraints without consequence.”
The change in domestic matches to help PSG with the UEFA Champions League matches ins nothing new for the French side. They had their league game postponed earlier this season when they faced Chelsea in the Round of 16.
The extra rest worked in favor of the Ligue 1 side as they ran out 3-0 winners at Stamford Bridge, after winning the first leg 5-2. They faced a tired London side that had lost 1-0 at home to Newcastle United over the weekend, while the French side’s players were well rested.
Liverpool could be in a similar position next week, as they will be battling PSG after facing Fulham in the Premier League on Saturday, April 11, while their opponents will have a week-long rest before the second leg.
