The Japan Times - PSG look to pile misery on Liverpool as sides meet again in Champions League

Fast forward to this season and a formidable PSG appear clear favourites as the sides clash again in the Champions League quarter-finals, with the first leg in Paris on Wednesday.

PSG's triumph on penalties against Liverpool in the last 16 last season was pivotal on their run to a first ever Champions League title.

They had to overturn a 1-0 defeat at home in a first leg they completely dominated before holding their nerve at Anfield, and the two teams have set off on different trajectories since.

Arne Slot's side somewhat ran out of steam after that, albeit having done more than enough to get over the line in the Premier League.

This season has been a huge disappointment, however, and they return to Paris in especially downbeat mood after a chastening 4-0 defeat against Manchester City in the FA Cup quarter-finals.

- 'So tough' -

That had Slot saying his team lacked fighting spirit, while captain Virgil van Dijk suggested they had given up and admitted it would be "very difficult" for Liverpool to lift themselves against PSG.

"But we have a responsibility, not only to ourselves but especially to the fans and, if we want to make something out of this season, we have to try and do something special in the next three games," he said, with the Champions League tie taking place either side of an awkward clash with Fulham.

"The matter of fact is now, PSG are waiting for us. It will be so tough again. So we have to be ready mentally as soon as possible," Van Dijk added.

Liverpool have won just one of their last five matches and have suffered 15 defeats in this campaign.

Securing a return to Europe's top table for next season has to be the main aim now for a team currently lying fifth in the Premier League.

PSG, in contrast, have had a tricky season at times due to injuries but look like they might be returning to their very best form at the right time.

A 3-1 win over Toulouse last Friday, featuring one marvellous goal from reigning Ballon d'Or Ousmane Dembele, helped them extend their lead atop Ligue 1 to four points from nearest challengers Lens, with a game in hand.

But the Champions League is what really matters -- the French league even accepted their request to postpone this Saturday's key trip to Lens to allow them to concentrate fully on Liverpool.

"I think we have shown for a long time that we are ready, regardless of the competition, but there are obviously things we can improve," warned Luis Enrique.

Dembele is fully fit and firing, but Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was the inspiration in the last round, when PSG destroyed Chelsea 8-2 on aggregate -- Wednesday's game will be their 14th against Premier League opposition since January 2025.

- Ekitike back in Paris -

There is one obvious weakness in PSG's ranks, however -- they have not successfully replaced goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, the hero in last season's shoot-out against Liverpool who is now at Manchester City.

Lucas Chevalier was signed as the Italian's successor but has lost his place to Matvey Safonov, the Russian who made two glaring mistakes to cost his side a goal at the weekend.

"A goalkeeper is like any other player. They can make mistakes, because that's normal in football," said Luis Enrique.

The key for the visitors, meanwhile, could be Hugo Ekitike, Liverpool's leading scorer this season with 17 goals, who comes up against the club where he failed to make an impact earlier in his career.

Ekitike, 23, joined PSG from Reims in 2022 but scored just four goals in 18 months before leaving for Eintracht Frankfurt.

He struggled to break into an attack featuring Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Neymar but returns to his homeland as a genuine contender to start for France at the World Cup.

"Hugo is a great player. He is really in form so we are just hoping he won't be against us," said PSG's Dembele, his international teammate.

K.Yoshida--JT