The Champions League quarter-final first leg between Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday night was billed as a blockbuster showdown between Europe’s powerhouses.
Instead, it dissolved into a stark display of Parisian superiority and Merseyside powerlessness.
Arne Slott’s side suffered a crushing 2-0 defeat in the French capital, but the scoreline only tells the half of the story.
The really damning headline that came out of this game was the offensive stats that show how completely outclassed the Reds were. Liverpool did not have a single shot on target throughout the entire 90 minutes.
Liverpool beat PSG in all departments
To truly understand the magnitude of this offensive collapse, we need to look deep into the European archives.
Journalist James Pearce reports that the last time Liverpool endured a Champions League match without testing an opposition goalkeeper was almost six years ago, in November 2020, in a disastrous group stage encounter with Atalanta.
For a club respected around the world for their heavy-metal football, powerful pressing and relentless attacking transitions, it was shocking to see them completely fail on Europe’s biggest stage.
The Reds looked completely out of ideas against Luis Enrique’s well-organized PSG team.
They lacked the vital last pass, the necessary urgency and the positional discipline needed to disrupt Paris’ penalty area.
Can the Reds turn things around in the second leg?
The famous Anfield atmosphere is no doubt a contributing factor. But the bigger question is whether the players can turn things around.
Considering their recent performances and form, it is impossible to score three goals against PSG without conceding.
Slott will have to find a way to drastically restructure his midfield, rekindle a lackluster frontline and bring back the attacking threat that was clearly missing in Paris.
If he can’t find the shooting boots and test the goalkeeper by next week, Liverpool’s Champions League ambitions will instantly disappear, and perhaps Slot’s tenure at Anfield as well.
Arne Slott reveals the confusing reason behind leaving Liverpool star Mo Salah on the bench against PSG
