Paris Saint-Germain put in a superb first-leg performance, outclassing Liverpool last week at a wild Parc des Princes. Thanks to goals from Désiré Doué in the first half and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in the second, the Rouge et Bleu go into the second leg with a two-goal lead.
A valuable lead, given that the Reds have shown a completely different side to themselves at Anfield in their recent European outings. In the previous round, the English side managed to turn the tide with a resounding 4-0 victory over Galatasaray. Whilst the Parisians have the advantage they gained in the first leg, it is set to be a very different encounter this Tuesday on the banks of the Mersey.
0 – None of the seven meetings between Liverpool (3 wins) and Paris (4 wins) in all competitions have ended in a draw.
1 – Paris Saint-Germain are the top team in the Champions League this season in terms of goals scored (36), shots attempted (259), shots on target (96) and touches in the opposition’s penalty area (486).
5 – Against Liverpool, Achraf Hakimi could move into the top five for the most Champions League appearances for Paris (currently 54 matches), overtaking Ángel Di María and Edinson Cavani (54 each).
Having lost the first leg, Arne Slot is expected to opt for a new tactical set-up when his side face the Parisians for the second time in six days. In defence, Virgil van Dijk is likely to be partnered once again by Ibrahima Konaté. Whilst Milos Kerkez is also expected to start in place of Andrew Robertson, it is Joe Gomez who could fall victim to the Reds’ new set-up. The England international could be relegated to the bench to make way for Jeremie Frimpong, who would then play slightly deeper than last week, in the right-back position.
In midfield, the pecking order could be shaken up this time around. Whilst Curtis Jones picked up a groin injury in his side’s last league match and Wataru Endo remains sidelined, Alexis Mac Allister looks set to retain his place. Ryan Gravenberch, however, could be the one to pay the price and start on the bench, particularly if the Reds opt for a reshuffle in attack. With this in mind, Florian Wirtz could be moved into the middle, taking on a playmaker role that would allow him to fully express his creativity. Such a shift would automatically lead to a repositioning of Dominik Szoboszlai, who would be required to drop back a notch to support Mac Allister in midfield.
If there is to be a revival for the Reds, it will undoubtedly come through the Hungarian international and the former Leverkusen player, who are the team’s technical leaders. It could also come through Alexander Isak, whose place in the starting line-up at the forefront of Liverpool’s attack cannot be ruled out. Having arrived last summer from Newcastle, the Swedish international could change the face of the English attack, but it is not certain that the Dutch manager will risk starting him.
Should he, however, start the match against Paris, Hugo Ekitiké could slot into the left wing position potentially freed up by Florian Wirtz, and where the French international has already shown himself to be at his best since arriving in England. Finally, on the right wing, this reshuffle could directly benefit Mohamed Salah, who was absent from the starting line-up at the Parc des Princes and is pushing for a return to the starting XI in England. He would thus be preferred to Federico Chiesa, but this time the former Torino player could make an appearance from the bench, as could the promising Rio Ngumoha.
