Featured Image Credit: TNT Sports
Topics: PSG, Liverpool, Champions League, Anfield, Luis Enrique, Harvey Elliott, Ousmane Dembele
Luke Davies
Topics: PSG, Liverpool, Champions League, Anfield, Luis Enrique, Harvey Elliott, Ousmane Dembele
PSG pulled off a genius move just seconds before their Champions League round of 16 second-leg fixture against Liverpool at Anfield.
Luis Enrique’s side came into the match trailing 1-0 on aggregate, thanks to Harvey Elliott’s last-gasp winner in the first leg, which took place at the Parc des Princes on March 5.
Elliott’s strike was Liverpool’s only shot on target, whereas Paris Saint-Germain found the target 10 times from their 27 attempts at goal.
And despite the negative result, several PSG players had spoken confidentially about their chances at Anfield ahead of Tuesday evening.
"Their only shot, I don't know... It's tough, but now we're going to show what kind of team we are,” said PSG midfielder Vitinha when speaking to Canal+ last week.
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“It's been a long time since we lost; it's up to us to show our personality and our strength.
"We're going to go there, we're going to play a great game, we're going to score, and we're going to go through, I'm sure of it."
In previous years, the media and fans often accused the Ligue 1 champions of being a team of individuals rather than a collective unit.
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However, this season, they have shown more character than in the past and have moved away from signing superstars such as Lionel Messi, Neymar, and Kylian Mbappe.
They also appear more ‘streetwise’ this term, which was apparent when they did a rare thing ahead of kick-off at Anfield.
The French side won the coin toss and chose to swap ends, so Liverpool attacked The Kop in the first half and the Anfield Road in the second.
The decision proved to be genius as the away side took the lead through Ousmane Dembele in the 12th minute of proceedings. The away side put in a composed first-half showing and went in 1-0 up on the night (1-1 on aggregate) at half-time.
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Tonight's winner will face either Aston Villa or Club Brugge in the quarter-final stage, which will get underway on April 8.
PSG boss Enrique explained how he felt the winners of tonight's tie would go all the way to the final in Munich on May 31
"Over the course of two games, we will see two of the best teams in Europe, two contenders for the final and whoever goes through will go through to the final," Enrique said in a press conference.