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Printable Page
04/08 05:43 CDT Defending champion PSG hosts 6-time winner Liverpool in
Champions League quarterfinals
Defending champion PSG hosts 6-time winner Liverpool in Champions League
quarterfinals
By JEROME PUGMIRE
AP Sports Writer
PARIS (AP) --- Defending champion Paris Saint-Germain hosts out-of-form
Liverpool in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal on Wednesday.
Resisting an early onslaught from PSG is key to Liverpool's chances of keeping
the tie alive heading into the return leg at Anfield next week.
"PSG under (coach) Luis Enrique do not give you a second to have the ball
comfortable on your feet," Liverpool manager Arne Slot said. "It's press,
press, press every second of the game."
When the two sides met last season in the round of 16, PSG advanced on
penalties against six-time champion Liverpool following an intense battle. PSG
carried the momentum from that victory all the way to a first Champions League
title.
While Liverpool was arguably the pre-match favorite last year, it's a different
story now. Slot's team is reeling from a crushing FA Cup loss and will be
trophyless unless it wins the Champions League.
Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah has yet to find his best form in his last
season at the club, with only 10 goals in 35 games so far.
PSG has Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembl, midfielder Vitinha and flying
winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in top form. Dembl scored a scintillating volley
against Toulouse in the French league on Friday and seems to be peaking at the
right time.
However, PSG is still missing midfielder Fabin Ruiz with a knee injury and is
without winger Bradley Barcola, who injured his ankle in the last-16 rout of
Chelsea.
Liverpool striker Alexander Isak --- the British-record signing for 125 million
pounds ($170 million) --- has recovered from injury and Slot said he will be on
the bench at Parc des Princes.
Isak had surgery in December on a broken ankle and fibula.
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
