By Graham Ruthven
Arne Slot referred to as them the “most full” workforce Liverpool have confronted this season. Alisson Becker described his show in opposition to them final week as “the efficiency of his life.” Liverpool may need escaped France with a 1-0 benefit of their Champions League final 16 tie, however Paris Saint-Germain left fairly the impression.
By virtually each metric, PSG dominated the primary leg. That they had 70% of possession. Liverpool confronted 27 pictures whereas mustering simply two themselves. At full time, PSG’s Anticipated Targets (xG) stood at 1.78 with Liverpool’s simply 0.27. Soccer matches aren’t selected underlying statistics, however Harvey Elliott’s winner was a bolt from the blue (or crimson).
No two gamers had their foot on the throat of the Premier League leaders extra firmly than João Neves and Vitinha. They managed the sport within the centre of the pitch, each out and in of possession, and are prone to do the identical once more at Anfield on Tuesday evening. Neves and Vitinha may be the very best midfield pairing in Europe proper now.
No one on the pitch on the Parc des Princes final week accomplished extra passes than Vitinha. Not solely this, the Portuguese worldwide received six floor duels and accomplished 4 dribbles. He was in all places, conserving PSG’s tempo excessive in possession and shortly counter-pressing out of it. Liverpool struggled to make any kind of impression on him.
Neves added to the management PSG had, additionally making runs into the ultimate third when house opened up. Whereas Liverpool failed to search out any kind of foothold on the ball, the Ligue 1 champions performed nearly all of the sport within the opposition half. It was freakish that none of their goal-scoring possibilities ended up behind the web.
PSG spent huge to signal Neves from Benfica for €60m final summer season, successful the race to land the younger midfielder when the likes of Manchester Metropolis and Manchester United had additionally been linked. He was the ultimate piece of the midfield puzzle for Luis Enrique who wanted his personal Rodri to make PSG tick. Neves has thus far lived as much as his billing.
That is the kind of workforce Luis Enrique envisaged when he first took over on the Parc des Princes two summers in the past. His first season in cost was a transitional one as PSG began to maneuver on from a Galacticos-esque period that noticed them fail to stability an assault that featured Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Neymar.
In 2025, although, PSG have performed prime Lucho-ball. They management video games by way of possession. They counter-press. They get gamers ahead in fast transition moments. They play with power within the large areas and are in a position to replicate their strategy in opposition to the strongest opponents, as final week’s assembly with Liverpool proved.
“Regardless that we’re trailing from the primary leg we will likely be taking part in our personal recreation from the outset,” stated Luis Enrique forward of the second leg. “Whatever the end result [in Paris] we wouldn’t do something totally different. I’m not going to present away who we’re going to play or how we’re going to play however over the course of two video games we’ll see two of the very best groups in Europe, two contenders for the ultimate and whoever goes by way of will undergo to the ultimate.”
Luis Enrique’s prediction would possibly properly come true. PSG are ok to overturn a 1-0 deficit at Anfield on Tuesday they usually’re ok to make this season’s Champions League last. If the French giants had been to knock out Liverpool, there could be no motive to concern anybody else in what’s a comparatively weak discipline.
The goalscoring type of Bradley Barcola, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Ousmane Dembélé is primarily the factor that has made PSG real Champions League challengers within the eyes of so many. Earlier than being held by Liverpool final week, the French giants had netted 20 objectives of their earlier 4 video games. Dembélé had notched 18 in simply 13 outings because the flip of the 12 months.
With out that innovative, PSG will limply exit this season’s Champions League at Anfield on Tuesday evening no matter what Liverpool are in a position to muster. The guests should do a greater job of changing management and possession into objectives. They want Dembélé and co. of the previous two months and never the frontline that drew a clean within the first leg.
In Neves and Vitinha, although, PSG have a platform in virtually each match they play. The pair are irrepressible and can relish the chance to place proper the injustice of the primary leg in opposition to Liverpool at Anfield. The perfect midfield pairing in Europe may very well be deciding issue on this Champions League tie.
(Cowl picture from IMAGO)
You may comply with each PSG recreation on FotMob – with in-depth stat protection together with xG, shot maps, and participant scores. Obtain the free app right here.