Paris Saint-Germain ran out as comfortable 2-0 winners in the Champions League quarter final first leg over Liverpool on Wednesday night, with the Ligue 1 giants gaining a huge first-leg advantage.
Paris Saint Germain asserted their dominance from the get-go, suffocating the Reds with a world-class offensive trio. The combined flair and pace of Desire Doué, Ousmane Dembélé, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia created a Parisian whirlwind that Liverpool simply couldn’t weather
Doue handed the Parisian giants a well-deserved lead on the 11th-minute mark, after Luis Enrique’s men dominated the early proceedings, when he struck a fierce long-range effort that looped over the head of Giorgi Mamardashvili.
Thankfully, unlike in the Manchester City 4-0 defeat, the floodgates didn’t open, as the stand-in Reds keeper made a handful of inspired stops, but the first 45 minutes were largely one-way traffic after Doue’s audacious opener.
Not a single shot was registered by a Liverpool player inside the opening half, as Reds shirts were routinely camped back, awaiting the next marauding PSG attack.
Half-time: PSG 1-0 Liverpool
All of Mamardashvili’s brave stops in between the sticks – during the first 45 minutes – ended up being in vain, as his fellow Georgian compatriot in Kvaratskhelia looks to have kiledl the tie off, with a superbly taken solo strike on the 65th minute mark.
Twisting and turning Reds defenders for fun before delightfully stroking an effort home, PSG were in cruise control at the Parc Des Princes, as they openly toyed with Slot’s men.
Some penalty shouts in the second half for the hosts could have made the win even more convincing, as Ibrahima Konate was in the thick of the action, for one contentious moment, involving playmaker Warren Zaire-Emery.
Thankfully, while a penalty decision was originally given against the clumsy Frenchman for tangling with the tricky 20-year-old, it was ruled out by VAR, with a 3-0 first-leg loss an almighty scoreline to try and overturn at Anfield.
PSG might well have trudged off at the end, kicking themselves that they didn’t pick up more goals, to really add salt to the wound, as Ousmane Dembele somehow didn’t get in on the scoresheet at the death.
Not even the introduction of Alexander Isak for the closing stages of the match for his first moments of action in Liverpool red in four months could raise a rare smile, as Slot’s side were simply outclassed throughout.
Managing just three shots all night long, which came in a low 0.18 xG, it was a very grim trip to the French capital for the Merseyside giants, who have now lost a shocking 17 games in all competitions this season.
Liverpool has to be better in the second leg to stand a chance
This might feel like stating the obvious, but Liverpool will have to be miles better when the second leg showdown falls onto the calendar.
At points out there, it looked like men versus boys in terms of the gulf in quality, as PSG displayed throughout why they strolled to the Champions League trophy last campaign.
In stark contrast, the drab display offered up by the Reds is just indicative of what Liverpool is serving up at the moment, as the directionless club hopes for a return to winning ways on Saturday, back in the Premier League, against Fulham.
