Paris Saint-Germain took a commanding lead in their UEFA Champions League quarterfinal tie on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, defeating Liverpool 2-0 at the Parc des Princes. The defending European champions dominated the first leg, leaving Arne Slot’s side with a steep mountain to climb ahead of the return leg at Anfield.
PSG wasted no time asserting their dominance. In the 11th minute, Désiré Doué opened the scoring with a shot that deflected off Ryan Gravenberch and looped over goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, who was starting in place of the injured Alisson Becker. PSG continued to press, with Mamardashvili forced into a critical close-range save against Doué late in the first half, while Ousmane Dembélé missed several opportunities to extend the lead.
The Parisians doubled their advantage in the 65th minute through Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. The Georgian forward produced a brilliant individual effort, embarking on a long, winding run before rounding Mamardashvili and several defenders to slot the ball into an open net.
Liverpool’s struggle was evident in the statistics, as they were out-shot 18-3 and managed only 26 percent of possession. The Reds failed to register a single shot on goal throughout the match. Slot opted for a conservative tactical approach, deploying a back-five formation and dropping Mohamed Salah to the bench. The 33-year-ancient Salah, who recently announced he will depart Anfield at the end of the season, remained an unused substitute for the entire duration of the game.
One positive note for Liverpool came in the 78th minute with the return of Alexander Isak, who stepped back onto the pitch after missing 22 games due to a broken leg.
This result puts Liverpool in a precarious position following a bruising 4-0 FA Cup loss to Manchester City on Saturday, April 5, 2026. To avoid a trophy-less 2025-26 campaign, the Reds must overturn the two-goal deficit when they host PSG at Anfield next Tuesday, April 14, 2026, at 3 pm ET.
