Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool faced off at Anfield on Tuesday in the second leg of their 2025-2026 Champions League quarter-final. The match ended in a 2-0 victory for PSG (4-0 on aggregate). After the game, former French international Bixente Lizarazu shared his analysis with L’Equipe.
Lizarazu: “I expected the Reds to push harder in the first half”
“How worried were you that the game would swing in Liverpool’s favor in the second half, until Dembélé’s first goal (72nd minute)?”
“I expected the Reds to push harder in the first half, and perhaps PSG were also influenced by that.” After holding their own and controlling the first forty-five minutes, even if they didn’t display their usual quality and sharpness to make the difference, they probably thought, upon returning to the pitch, that the hardest part was over.
And they relaxed a bit, becoming a little too complacent. Then, for almost half an hour, they completely lost control and were overwhelmed by a Liverpool side that relied heavily on its energy. The turning point was Rio Ngumoha’s huge chance and Matvei Safonov’s superb save (71st minute).
Lizarazu: “Safonov […] I find him strange.”
Is your opinion of him, previously skeptical about his stature as a great goalkeeper, changing?
I’ll be very objective and factual. Safonov was very good in that match, which doesn’t change my overall impression: I find him… strange. But this time, it was clearer, even in the aerial situations. And on his line, he made the necessary saves throughout the game.
During the period when PSG suffered greatly and retreated in the second half—a valuable test for the future, as the ability to withstand adversity is crucial—the Russian goalkeeper was the best Parisian defender.
For Lizarazu, the key point isn’t just to praise Safonov, but to place this quarter-final within the context of their European experience. Paris Saint-Germain didn’t simply confirm their superiority over Liverpool; they also had to absorb a significant shift in momentum after the break.
For a long stretch, Paris lost control, retreated, and allowed Anfield to regain hope, until the Russian goalkeeper’s decisive save before Dembélé’s goal. This is where his analysis becomes truly compelling: a team aiming for the top isn’t judged solely on its dominance, but also on its resilience without collapsing.
In this light, Safonov isn’t just the man of one save; he becomes the symbol of a PSG that also thrives in adversity. This analysis also has the merit of not presenting a perfect performance. Paris qualified with authority, but this quarter-final serves as a reminder that in the Champions League, even a superior team can find itself on the verge of losing its way.
