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The penalty for failing to make home superiority count was ultimately paid by Liverpool. Arne Slot’s side delivered the improvement he promised but to no avail as Paris Saint-Germain advanced into the Champions League quarter-finals with a flawless penalty shootout. Gianluigi Donnarumma, the man who broke English hearts in the 2020 European Championship final shoot-out, proved the big man for the big occasion once again.
The Italy international saved from Darwin Núñez and Curtis Jones in the penalty shootout after Ousmane Dembélé’s winner in normal time had levelled the tie on aggregate. Mohamed Salah was the only Liverpool player to convert a spot-kick. Vitinha, brilliant all night, Gonçalo Ramos, Dembele and finally Désiré Doué made no mistake against Alisson.
The opening 12 minutes at Anfield was the first leg in reverse. The dominator became the dominated as Liverpool started with an intensity and threat that was almost entirely absent at Parc des Princes. Mohamed Salah performed as though affronted by his 3-rating in L’Équipe, which he probably was. Luis Díaz was not far behind in bringing explosive menace from the left. Defensive composure was also evident from the off with Ibrahima Konaté and Virgil van Dijk contemptuously brushing aside Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Bradley Barcola respectively when they first had opportunities to counter.
Alexis Mac Allister presented Salah with a glorious chance to open the scoring and double Liverpool’s aggregate lead with four minutes gone. Bursting onto Dominik Szoboszlai’s intelligent lay-off and into the box the midfielder squared to the better-placed forward rather than shooting himself. Salah seemed certain to score from close range but his shot struck Nuno Mendes and deflected over. Moments later Salah left the PSG left-back in a heap near the half-way line, surged into the area and curled wide. Such are the world class standards the Egypt international has set for himself, you expected him to score. The early exchanges also saw van Dijk have a free header at a Mac Allister corner. Mendes managed to block once more.
The roll reversal not only extended to Liverpool’s performance. PSG, so assured and composed until running into Alisson last week, were visibly rattled here. Willian Pacho, Achraf Hakimi and the goalkeeper Donnarumma all poured oil on a fiery atmosphere by playing routine passes straight into touch. And having failed to score from 27 attempts in the first leg, PSG promptly scored from their opening attempt of the second leg.
Liverpool were badly exposed the first time the visitors broke their relentless press. Mendes played a low diagonal ball from left-back that caught out the entire Liverpool midfield. Dembélé collected in space and released Barcola down the right, who attempted to return a cross to the in-form striker as he sprinted into the area. Konaté got their first but succeeded only in nudging Barcola’s delivery around Alisson and towards his own goal. Dembélé was left with a simple tap-in.
Barcola could soon have added a second when Trent Alexander-Arnold lost possession in midfield and Kvaratskhelia released the winger through on goal. He attempted to round Alisson before beating the Liverpool keeper with a low shot and failed on both counts.
There were more echoes of Paris when Fabián Ruiz and Kvaratskhelia mugged Mac Allister to give Dembélé a clear run at Liverpool’s goal. A heavy touch as he entered the area enabled Alisson to save bravely at Dembélé’s feet. PSG were beginning to find time to dictate from midfield, the influence of Vitinha and João Neves growing, and Dembélé picked out Kvaratskhelia unmarked inside the Liverpool area with an inviting ball from the byline. The Georgia international’s blistering effort was destined for the top corner until a Ryan Gravenberch toe diverted it over. A Dembélé strike, curled from the edge of the box, was also deflected just wide.
Konaté and Diogo Jota both went close in the first half for Liverpool, who had a penalty claim ignored when Ruiz caught Szoboszlai’s calf, but there was no doubt Slot’s side needed to regroup during the interval. The initial sting had gone, but was back as soon as a pulsating contest restarted.
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Marquinhos was booked within seconds for a foul on Díaz. With Alexander-Arnold more prominent and PSG denied any space to break, Liverpool regained the upper hand. Alexander-Arnold drew a save from Donnarumma and struck a post from the rebound before threading the loose ball back across goal for Szoboszlai to convert. The flag went up for an earlier offside against Díaz. The Italian goalkeeper produced a fine save to claw away Díaz’s glancing header from a Mac Allister corner. Mendes blocked a goalbound drive from Szoboszlai and both Salah and Díaz failed to capitalise from a promising counterattack.
Alexander-Arnold was forced out of the tie and possibly Sunday’s Carabao Cup final when injuring himself in a challenge on the outstanding Vitinha. His replacement, Jarell Quansah, twice came close to heading Liverpool into the quarter-finals. Quansah’s first attempt from another Mac Allister corner sailed just over. His second, from an Andy Robertson free-kick, beat Donnarumma but struck the inside of a post. Mac Allister was ruled offside when Liverpool attempted to capitalise on the rebound.
Donnarumma was forced to take evasive action repeatedly as Liverpool exerted constant pressure in the closing stages of normal time. The PSG threat had been virtually non-existent in the second half but they were the more dangerous side in extra time. Doué, a potent replacement for Barcola, was centimetres away from a crucial second goal. Alisson saved brilliantly when Dembélé aimed for his bottom corner. PSG swarmed over Liverpool in the final stages but that was the only time they opened up the home defence.
