PSG vs Liverpool Champions League preview, team news and prediction

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When Liverpool meet Paris Saint-Germain in Wednesday night’s first-leg Champions League quarter-final, Arne Slot may need fortune to favour him twice if the Reds are to keep their European campaign alive. Liverpool edged PSG 1-0 at the Parc des Princes a little over a year ago, inspired by Harvey Elliott, though Luis Enrique’s side had the final say when they later left Anfield beaten on penalties.

Now taking on a third straight opponent in blue, Liverpool have been feeling anything but bright lately. Defeats to Brighton and Manchester City set the tone, and City then tore through Slot’s side in ruthless fashion in the FA Cup.

Any hope that the international break might provide a reset quickly faded at the Etihad, where an Erling Haaland hat-trick and an Antoine Semenyo chip helped City cruise into the semi-finals with a 4-0 win. Virgil van Dijk’s admission that Liverpool “gave up” only deepened concerns around the squad, the supporters and Slot himself, who is facing growing scrutiny even if his job appears safe for now.

Slot has now presided over 15 defeats in all competitions this season which is Liverpool’s worst return since 2014-15 under Brendan Rodgers and has managed just one win in five matches, albeit a commanding Champions League victory over Galatasaray in the last-16 second-leg. Even so, Liverpool’s away form is alarming: four losses in their last five on the road, with only Championship-bound Wolves beaten in that run.

It’s a meeting of domestic champions, but their trajectories could hardly be more different. Liverpool look set to relinquish their Premier League crown with a whimper, while PSG are finally back in control of the Ligue 1 title race. Lens had threatened to end Paris’ dominance, but recent stumbles have allowed Enrique’s side to open up a four-point lead — with a game in hand.

PSG arrive in strong form too, fresh from a 3-1 win over Toulouse — featuring a Dembele double — which made it four straight wins in all competitions. Two of those victories also came against a subdued Chelsea. In Europe, PSG’s recent record is equally imposing: they’ve progressed from each of their last four Champions League quarter-finals and are unbeaten in seven straight UCL matches against English opposition, winning five.

Liverpool, however, can point to two small comforts: they were the last Premier League side to beat PSG in Europe, and the overall UEFA head-to-head stands level at three wins apiece — thin but welcome encouragement for the travelling Reds.

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Liverpool emerged from Saturday’s thrashing without any fresh injury problems and were able to welcome Mohamed Salah, Federico Chiesa and Jeremie Frimpong back into the fold, although Alexander Isak (leg) was not quite ready to be involved.

The £125m forward travelled and could be in contention for a place on the bench this week, but Alisson Becker (issue unspecified) may be sidelined for the remainder of the month. Conor Bradley (knee), Giovanni Leoni (ACL) and Wataru Endo (ankle) are all expected to miss the rest of the season.

Frimpong replacing Joe Gomez looks the most likely first tweak for Slot on Wednesday, while Salah is set to return to the starting XI despite having a penalty saved by James Trafford in a bleak afternoon in Manchester.

PSG, meanwhile, will be without Bradley Barcola — a player often linked as a potential long-term heir to Salah at Anfield — as the France international continues to recover from an ankle sprain. Fabian Ruiz (knee) and teenage forward Quentin Ndjantou (unspecified) are also unavailable, but Senny Mayulu is back in full training after a minor calf issue.

Vitinha, Joao Neves and Nuno Mendes all started on the bench against Toulouse, but are expected to come back into Enrique’s XI on Wednesday, along with captain Marquinhos.

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