After losing their first European meeting with Paris SG in April 1997 (0-3 in the Cup Winners’ Cup semi-final first leg), Liverpool have only lost one of four against them since, winning three of them.
None of the last 15 French sides to play away from home against an English opponent in Europe have managed to win, with 14 of those ending in defeats (D1). Indeed, the last such victory was by Paris SG in December 2020 against Manchester United (3-1 in the UEFA Champions League).
Liverpool have progressed from each of their last 14 UEFA Champions League knockout stage ties having won the first leg, with Bayer Leverkusen in 2001-02 (quarter-finals) the last side to eliminate them after the Reds had taken an advantage into the second leg (Liverpool won first leg 1-0, lost 2-4 in the second).
Paris SG have managed to progress from two of their previous five UEFA Champions League knockout stage ties after losing the first leg, coming back to beat Borussia Dortmund on aggregate in the 2019-20 last 16 (3-2) and Barcelona in the 2023-24 quarter-finals (6-4).
Liverpool have won all four of their home games in the UEFA Champions League this season. Should they claim another victory here, Arne Slot would become the first manager to win each of his first five home matches in charge of an English side in the competition.
Paris SG have held their opponents to under one expected goal on nine occasions in the UEFA Champions League this season (including in the first leg v Liverpool); the most of any side. Indeed, Liverpool’s two shots in the first meeting (0.27 xG) were their fewest in a knockout stage game in the competition on record (since 2003-04).
Paris SG players combined to complete 19 dribbles in the first leg of this tie; the most by a team in a UEFA Champions League game against Liverpool since Porto in March 2018 (21). Indeed, the two highest game totals by a side in the knockout stages of the competition this term have both been by Paris SG: 20 v Brest (play-off round) and 19 v Liverpool (round of 16).
Paris SG’s Vitinha has completed 474 passes under high-intensity pressure in the UEFA Champions League this season, 100 more than the player with the next-most (Joshua Kimmich, 374). Indeed, 49 of those came against Liverpool last time out; the most in a knockout stage in the competition this term.
Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah has played more games without scoring against Paris SG than against any other opponent in his UEFA Champions League career (3). In the first leg of this tie, Salah failed to attempt a shot in a game for just the second time as a Liverpool player in this competition (previously v Real Madrid in March 2023, which was also in the round of 16).
Liverpool’s Alisson made nine saves in the first leg against Paris SG last week, helping his side to keep a clean sheet in the process. The most saves on record (since 2003-04) by a goalkeeper without conceding over two legs of a UEFA Champions League knockout stage is 12, achieved by Gianluigi Buffon in 2012-13 (12 v Celtic) Hugo Lloris in 2018-19 (12 v Borussia Dortmund).
Image source, gett
