Mohamed Sissoko, former midfielder for Liverpool (2005-2008) and Paris Saint-Germain (2011-2013), among others, was asked by Le Parisien to give his thoughts on Tuesday night’s Champions League quarter-final second leg between the two clubs. He doesn’t really see PSG being surprised at Anfield after their 2-0 victory in the first leg.
Sissoko: “You can really feel they’re a dominant team.”
“A PSG that seems very determined and focused?
The coach has a lot to do with it; he’s doing an extraordinary job. You can really feel they’re a dominant team. Liverpool remains a very great team, unfortunately, they’re struggling, unlike Paris, who can still dream of winning the Champions League.
Paris is among the best in the world, with a mindset that allows them to approach matches with a lot of confidence and determination. I don’t see them getting complacent in the return leg. On the contrary, they’ll come to hurt them.”
Indeed, PSG doesn’t usually approach a second leg simply to sit back or defend. Coach Luis Enrique and his players quickly dismissed that idea after the first leg. The philosophy remains the same: Paris plays to dominate the match and win. Even if there might be more or less caution depending on the score. But we don’t see a completely different team. This isn’t the case when Paris is behind either.
The Parisians are confident in their abilities and avoid playing with panic. This is a powerful quality that coach Luis Enrique has instilled. And if PSG can score, they won’t hesitate. Of course, this doesn’t mean the second leg will be easy. Liverpool will be looking to respond and turn the game around. But we would be very surprised to see a “top-down” affair in favor of the English side throughout the entire match.
