The Japan Times - PSG wary of wounded Liverpool ahead of European showdown

"Liverpool are Liverpool, even if they are not in ideal form. They are still a great team," Vitinha told reporters on Tuesday, the eve of the first leg between the sides at the Parc des Princes.

"It will be a great match here, and at Anfield, and tomorrow we will need to be at 100 percent. It will still be a very, very difficult game," he added, with the return leg set for next Tuesday.

The tie is a repeat of the Champions League last-16 encounter between the clubs a year ago, when Liverpool won 1-0 in Paris only for Luis Enrique's side to claim victory by the same score at Anfield and then go through on penalties.

They went on to become European champions for the first time in their history, while Liverpool won the Premier League.

However, Arne Slot's side have struggled to rediscover their best form this season, and come into Wednesday's showdown off the back of a 4-0 hammering by Manchester City in the FA Cup quarter-finals last weekend.

They have won just one of their last five matches in all competitions and sit fifth in the Premier League, meaning a place in next season's Champions League is far from assured.

"It was an incredible tie," Vitinha said about last year's meeting of the sides.

"There was a bit of frustration in the first match. I don't remember Liverpool having a chance apart from the goal they scored at the end.

"We played well and yet we still lost. I remember saying that by playing like that we could go to Liverpool and win.

"Fortunately we did that, but that was last year. This is a different year, there have been changes in the two teams. Lots of things happen in football in a year, and it will be a different game for sure."

- Injury absences -

One new face in the Liverpool team this time will be Hugo Ekitike, the France striker who returns to Paris to face the club where he struggled to make an impact during an 18-month spell between 2022 and 2024.

Ekitike is Liverpool's top scorer this season with 17 goals and recent performances make him a genuine contender to start for France at the World Cup.

"Hugo is a fantastic guy. I enjoyed the year I spent with him. You could see the quality he had even if it wasn't the right context for him. I wish him all the best except for these two matches," Vitinha said of the forward.

PSG coach Luis Enrique indicated that his side will go into the game without two key players, with Spain midfielder Fabian Ruiz still not ready to return from the knee injury which has kept him on the sidelines since January.

Winger Bradley Barcola, among the goals in the 8-2 aggregate demolition of Chelsea in the last round, is also expected to miss out despite returning to training.

"We are trying to find the best conditions for the player and he needs to tell us when he is ready," the coach said of Barcola.

Of Ruiz, he added: "Fabian has not yet trained with the squad, so how can he play? He has improved a lot and we are very happy. That shows he is on the right road but he still has some way to go."

Asked about his team's status as favourites, the former Barcelona boss pointed out: "It is impossible to say one team is the favourite. Last year everyone said Liverpool were the favourites, and the team that went through was Paris Saint-Germain."

Y.Kimura--JT