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Key events
PSG coach Luis Enrique has also been bigging up the opposition. “Liverpool has one of the best counterattacks in Europe so we will try to keep the ball and be careful not to suffer too much from transitions … they have three fighter jets in attack and it’s not easy to stop these fighter jets … Arne Slot has done a great job … he has created a near‑perfect team.” Andy Hunter, pounding the beautiful boulevards of Paris so you don’t have to, reports.
Arne Slot talks to TNT Sports. “It’s a nice part of the schedule for the people at home watching football … PSG’s fans will be behind the team … it’s all about the quality PSG have … it’s going to be the toughest game in Europe we’ve played so far … in every aspect of the game they do things really well … their main threat is their three attackers … they don’t only have quality but are lightning fast … they can change direction so quickly … like the wingers at Manchester City … Mohamed Salah has added even more experience … he is calm and not frustrated if he misses a chance … he always knows how to hit the ball … instilling your will on PSG is almost impossible … they go all over you … they take risks and get a lot from that … we have to understand when to play … it’s not a game we will dominate in ball possession, I will be surprised if that happens tonight.”
There’s no Cody Gakpo for Liverpool. He’s picked up an injury in training. The only change to the team that started last week’s 2-0 victory over Newcastle United is at left-back, where Andrew Robertson returns at the expense of Kostas Tsimikas, who drops to the bench.
The hosts PSG make three changes to the starting XI after last Saturday’s 4-1 Ligue 1 thumping of Lille. Vitinha, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Willian Pacho return, with Gonçalo Ramos, Désiré Doué and Lucas Beraldo dropping to the bench.
The teams
PSG: Donnarumma, Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Nuno Mendes, Neves, Vitinha, Fabian, Kvaratskhelia, Dembele, Barcola.
Subs: Safonov, Tenas, Kimpembe, Goncalo Ramos, Doue, Lee, Hernandez, Mayulu, Zaire Emery, Lucas Beraldo, Mbaye.
Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, van Dijk, Robertson, Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Salah, Szoboszlai, Diaz, Jota.
Subs: Jaros, Kelleher, Endo, Nunez, Chiesa, Jones, Elliott, Tsimikas, McConnell, Quansah, Nyoni.
Referee: Davide Massa (Italy).
Preamble
So much for coming top of the league stage, then. Liverpool’s reward is a tie with Paris Saint-Germain, who have won their last ten games straight, scoring at a rate of exactly four goals per game. In the last month, the champions of France have put four goals past fellow Champions League outfits Monaco and Lille, and seven past Champions League surprise package Brest. Ousmane Dembélé is finally delivering on all that early promise – he’s scored 20 goals in his last 14 appearances – while Bradley Barcola isn’t that backwards in coming forwards either, with 15 goals to his name this season. After all those wasted galáctico years, they’re finally looking like a proper team. Just ask Manchester City.
Having said all that, Liverpool, with 30-goal Mohamed Salah in outrageous form himself, are pretty handy too. So given all that, plus the fact these clubs are historically neck and neck with two wins apiece – all four matches ending in home wins, PSG pipping the 1997 Cup Winners Cup semi, Liverpool going on to lift the 2019 Champions League after meeting the Parisians at the group stage – this is deliciously balanced. And extremely unlikely to end goalless. All together now: ♯♬ ♪ I love Paris in the springtime … why oh why do I love Paris? Because kick-off is near! ♬♩♬ That’s 8pm GMT to be exact. It’s on!
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