Liverpool 0-1 PSG: 5 talking points with penalty heartache and Wembley concern

A night of tense entertainment and emotional ups and downs ended with the Reds exiting Europe on penalties.

Liverpool 0-1 PSG (1-4 on pens)

Champions League Last 16, 2nd Leg | Anfield
March 11, 2025

Goal: Dembele 12′

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1. Penalty heartache

Saves from Gianluigi Donnarumma to deny Darwin Nunez and Curtis Jones ended Liverpool’s European campaign for 2024/25, leaving the Carabao Cup and Premier League to play for.

Liverpool had been the better team for most of the game despite the 1-0 scoreline on the night, but by the end of the second half of extra time they were hanging on, unable to keep control of the ball once it came their way and PSG got into their groove in possession.

The substitutes who came on looked to tire quickly, and Cody Gakpo never really looked fit enough to contribute.

Alisson had put in another outstanding performance in the 120 minutes but he was unable to perform heroics in the shootout, and his opposite number claimed the plaudits in this tie that had been defined by two goalkeepers.

 

2. High-quality entertainment

The quality and pace of the game was reminiscent of those meetings between Liverpool and Man City when both were at their peak under Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola.

Liverpool dominated meaningful possession, perhaps unlike some of those against City, but it never felt like there was any control for either team.

Despite that lack of control, it still felt like we were watching two quality sides, even though the out-of possession-play from both made the in-possession play more difficult.

Judging by the first leg of this tie, PSG are the best team in Europe. This was the chance for Slot’s Liverpool to show otherwise.

For much of the game Liverpool were on top but, in a reverse of the first leg, PSG took a chance against the run of play and claimed the win thanks to Donnarumma’s spot-kick saves.

It was a breathless, end-to-end game, with each side creating chances – an exhibition of football.

 

3. Trent out – trouble at right-back

Trent Alexander-Arnold picked up an ankle injury and hobbled off gingerly around the side of the pitch.

It looked like the kind of injury that will keep him out for a while. The chances of him making the Carabao Cup final at least look slim-to-none.

It leaves Liverpool both light at right-back and without one of their most creative players.

With Conor Bradley and Joe Gomez also out injured, it looks like Jarell Quansah will be Liverpool’s right-back for the final and maybe into next month.

Quansah has made substitute appearances there recently, and looked a threat from set-pieces when he came on against PSG, but Alexander-Arnold will be a big miss.

He might be a miss for much longer if this proves to have been the final European appearance for Trent at Liverpool?

 

4. A heady Anfield atmosphere

Even with just a sparse scattering of fans in the stadium a while before kickoff, a loud chant of “Liverpool, Liverpool” echoed around expanded Anfield.

PSG looked uncertain, maybe not rattled but at least flustered early on. Many of their passes from the back in the opening stages went out of play or were intercepted. Their goal was certainly against the run of play.

There was a momentum about Anfield, and for the most part it transferred onto the pitch.

Liverpool just couldn’t find a goal. Maybe attacking the Kop in the first half rather than the second didn’t help, and though that was remedied for extra time, penalties were taken near the PSG fans.

The travelling fans from Paris contributed, waving their large flags and singing throughout. Their hardcore support belies their team’s reputation as a soulless state-owned entity, and they are among the most passionate in Europe.

By the end of 90 minutes the whole ground was standing, and remained so into extra time.

 

5. Anything left in the tank for a final?

The energy expended in this game was the equivalent to a final, with some frantic play throughout.

What’s more, it went to extra time, and though Arne Slot used his subs well, this will still have taken a lot out of the players – and as well as Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahima Konate also limped off.

Slot also needed to field his best lineup in this game, so there was no luxury of resting anyone.

It will be the same again on Sunday when challenging for the first silverware of the season against Newcastle at Wembley.

Newcastle will have had a full week to rest, and though this Champions League game was on a Tuesday rather than a Wednesday, it will still have taken a lot out of Slot’s team, and the defeat won’t have helped.

The Reds boss might have to use some of his lesser-seen players in the final.