PSG vs. Liverpool: European Kings Look to Deepen Reds’ Misery in Champions League Quarter-Final

Enrique downplays favourites tag ahead of Liverpool clash

It has been just over a year since Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool faced off in the Round of 16 in last season’s Champions League, and a lot has changed since then, particularly for the English champions, who are enduring one of their poorest campaigns in recent times. 

Indeed, it has been a year of stagnation for Arne Slot’s side. In fact, since facing the Parisians a year ago, the Reds have played 58 games and won just 29 across all competitions - a win rate of just 50% - which has tossed Slot’s future at Anfield into serious uncertainty.

Adding to the disappointment for the Reds is that they are currently five points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa in the Premier League standings with seven games left to play and enter this match following a 4-0 drubbing by Man City in the FA Cup quarter-finals last weekend. 

However, despite the Merseysiders' recent form (W2 D1 L3) and our Champions League predictions suggesting that PSG are likely to come out on top in this match, Luis Enrique has opted to downplay talks that his team are clear favourites in this contest. 

This will be the seventh time that these clubs will meet across all competitions, and they both have won three games apiece. Last season, the Ligue 1 champs beat Liverpool on penalties in the last 16 at Anfield after overturning a 1-0 defeat at home in the first leg en route to their maiden Champions League title.

As it stands, PSG are the leading scorers in this season’s UCL with 34 goals spread among a whopping 13 different players. Liverpool, on the other hand, have scored 24 goals to date, with Dominik Szoboszlai leading the team with five goals in the competition. 

See our PSG vs Liverpool prediction

Battle of the widemen: Salah conundrum and Kvaratskhelia threat

As discussed in our PSG vs Liverpool prediction, Mohamed Salah dropped a bombshell during the March international break, announcing that he would be leaving Liverpool at the end of the season, bringing an end to his nine-year tenure with the reigning English champions. 

The Egyptian King has been the heart and soul of the red machine for almost a decade and powered them to the EPL title last season, but his output has dipped significantly this term, and many Liverpool fans are now calling out for Slot to forget sentimentality and drop the 33-year-old forward for this crucial clash. 

Salah has scored just eight non-penalty goals this season, with Szoboszlai and Hugo Ekitike netting on more occasions. He also had just 39 touches against Man City in the FA Cup last week (among the lowest for Liverpool outfield players) and missed a second-half penalty shortly before getting hooked in the 68th minute. 

Meanwhile, PSG’s wideman, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, is in the form of his life coming into this clash, and is one player that many are expecting to cause the Reds’ backline issues, as he did when going up against Chelsea in the Round of 16 last month. 

The 25-year-old came off the bench at this venue against the Blues in the first leg and set up Vitinha within minutes before scoring twice, including a worldie from the edge of the box. He then went on to score the opener in the 3-0 victory at Stamford Bridge a week later.

The Georgian has racked up 11 goal contributions in 11 UCL games this season, scoring seven and setting up four. Only Ousmane Dembele’s 14 goal contributions in 15 games last season surpass Kvaratskhelia’s tally among PSG players in Europe’s elite club competition. 

Salah vs. Kvaratskhelia: Champions League key stats 2025-26 

Check out our UCL predictions