Liverpool vs PSG: A quarter final clash that could define PSG’s season

After the international break, Paris will face Premier League side Liverpool in the quarter-finals of the Champions League setting us up for an epic rematch of last year's Round of 16. In a difficult season for the Parisians due to several injuries within their squad, this upcoming clash could potentially define their season as they are pursuing a second consecutive European title.

A quarter final clash that could define PSG’s season

1) Will Barcola be back to full fitness for PSG?

In terms of injuries issues for PSG going into the clash, the biggest question is whether Bradley Barcola, who limped off in the second leg of PSG’s last-16 tie against Chelsea, will be back fit to play against Liverpool in the quarter-finals. Barcola’s ankle injury has kept him out of this international break, in which PSG teammates Désiré Doué and Ousmane Dembélé have been linking up on France duty, and it seems to be touch and go whether he will feature at all in the quarter-finals, which is a shame for the Parisians, as Barcola was arguably hitting his best form of the season immediately prior to getting injured, scoring exceptional goals in both legs against Chelsea. PSG fans will hope he is back fit for the quarter-finals.

2) Liverpool with not much to play for, and all their eggs in the Champions League basket

Liverpool find themselves in a curious position going into this game, as their defence of the Premier League has been an abject failure and they now merely find themselves in contention for European qualification. A seventh Champions League title, however, could turn a forgettable season into a historic one, and Liverpool fans will be keenly aware that PSG are still competing for a Ligue 1 title and thus are fighting on more fronts than the reds.

3) A repeat of last season’s close fought encounter or something more open?

The two sides met last season in the last-16, in what was a hard-fought encounter: PSG were the better side at the Parc des Princes but lost to a late Harvey Elliot goal on the break, whereas Liverpool pilled on the pressure at Anfield but an early Ousmane Dembélé goal saw the Parisians force penalties, which they won thanks to Gianluigi Donnarumma’s extraordinary saves from Darwin Nunez and Curtis Jones. Overall PSG definitely deserved the win, being the better side over both legs and shocking the runaway Premier League leaders, but will this season’s repeat of the fixture be as taught as last season’s dramatic and tense encounter, or will be a straight shootout full of goals similar to PSG’s recent clash with Chelsea? Only time will tell.

4) PSG heavy favourites: how will this affect the match’s dynamics?

Unlike that match last season, PSG approach this match as heavy favourites, with many Liverpool fans already writing the tie off as nigh on impossible to win. It’s a strange situation for PSG to find themselves in, as over the last ten years, despite having a number of different superstars in their roster at various points, they usually entered big European ties against teams like Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool as underdogs. Here they enter as favourites, not just for the tie, but arguably for the whole competition. It will be interesting to see how this different dynamic psychologically affects both sides.

5)  Liverpool’s European legacy and Anfield are intimidating

Perhaps the single most intimidating factor for PSG going into this tie is not any of Liverpool’s players or even their manager (although midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai has been in fine form this season and is deadly in dead ball situations) but rather the famous Anfield crowd, which PSG will have to travel to in the second leg. It’s well documented just how much the Anfield crowd can affect a tie (with perhaps the incredible comeback in 2019 against Barcelona being the most pertinent example) and PSG fans will try to bring their own noise to avoid their players feeling the heat in the second leg.