This Wednesday, April 8th, Paris Saint-Germain faces Liverpool at the Parc des Princes (kick-off at 9 pm, CET) in the first leg of the 2025-2026 Champions League quarter-finals (second leg on April 14th). And as before every match, here is a preview of PSG’s opponent.
Liverpool’s situation –
After the immense tenure of coach Jürgen Klopp (2015-2024), he decided to take on a new challenge as head of global football for the Red Bull group. Having won the Champions League in 2019 and the Premier League in 2020, among other titles, he left a significant mark on the game, and this legacy continues with Arne Slot.
Which gave the next generation a great start last season, notably with the league title. There was also a superb run in the Champions League, before being eliminated in the round of 16 on penalties by PSG. However, this defeat damaged their momentum, and the Reds spent heavily during the summer transfer window to strengthen the squad. But this hasn’t translated into collective success. Liverpool are currently 5th in the Premier League, 21 points behind Arsenal (1st), were quickly eliminated from the League Cup (0-3 against Crystal Palace), and suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat against Manchester City in the FA Cup.
Summer Transfer Window 2025 –
Source: Transfermarkt.
Departures:
Arrivals:
Winter Transfer Window 2025/2026 –
Source: Transfermarkt.
Departures:
None.
Arrivals:
Key statistics –
This season, Liverpool boasts the 5th best attack in the Premier League with 50 goals scored (Arsenal leads with 61, and Wolverhampton trails with 24), and is among the 7th best defenses with 42 goals conceded (Arsenal has the best defense with 22 goals conceded, Burnley trails with 61).
The Reds’ top scorer is Hugo Ekitike (23-year-old striker), with 11 goals, ranking him 6th in the league (Erling Haaland leads with 22 goals). Mohamed Salah (33-year-old winger) is the club’s top assist provider with 6 assists, ranking him 4th in the Premier League (Bruno Fernandes leads with 16 assists).
Liverpool’s Last 5 Matches – 1 Match Updated
Only Liverpool’s possession is shown, and their shots are listed first (when data is available).
March 10, 2025 (Champions League) – Galatasaray/Liverpool: 1-0. 4-2-3-1 formation. 50% possession. 15 shots, 6 on target, vs. 11 shots (5 on target).
March 15, 2025 (Premier League) – Liverpool/Tottenham: 1-2. 4-2-3-1 formation. 64% possession. 16 shots, 3 on target, vs. 12 shots (7 on target).
March 18, 2025 (Champions League) – Liverpool/Galatasaray: 4-0. 4-3-3 formation. 56% possession. 28 shots, 16 on target, vs. 2 shots (1 on target)
March 21, 2025 (Premier League) – Brighton/Liverpool: 2-1. Playing a 4-4-2 diamond formation. 53% possession. 11 shots, 5 on target, vs. 16 shots (6 on target).
04/04/2025 (FA Cup) – Manchester City/Liverpool: 4-0. In a 4-2-3-1 formation. 50% possession. 13 shots, 6 on target, against 12 shots (7 on target).
The squad and probable lineup.
Goalkeepers – Mamardashvili, Woodman, Misciur.
Defenders – Van Dijk, Konaté, Gomez, Kerkez, Frimpong, Robertson.
Midfielders – Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Jones, Nyoni.
Forwards – Salah, Wirtz, Ekitike, Isak, Gakpo, Chiesa, Ngumoha.
Unavailable – Alisson, Bradley, Endo, Leoni, Bajcetic (injury).
Out: Alisson, Bradley, Endo, Leoni, Bajcetic (injury).
The predicted lineup in a 4-4-2 formation (L’Equipe):
Ekitike – Salah
Wirtz – Mac Allister – Szoboszlai
Gravenberch
Kerkez – Van Dijk – Konaté – Frimpong
Mamardashvili
Liverpool’s playing style.
Capable of pressing high or playing more compactly, Liverpool doesn’t necessarily seek to dominate possession. They are often a solid team that can quickly create chances. We’ll have to wait and see if the Reds will want to play a particularly high line against PSG.
Last season, Liverpool were outclassed at the Parc des Princes despite arriving with more confidence. But football is never that simple. Offensively, there’s a particular ability to break lines with passes and then accelerate, when everyone is fit and the team’s understanding is solid. The key is to see what kind of players the Reds will have.
