PSG v Liverpool – Teams confirmed with Isak on bench
Sweden striker is fit enough to be a substitute in huge Champions League game
Arne Slot’s tough season lurches from test to test with Liverpool in the French capital under a cloud of domestic pressure following a heavy weekend defeat to Manchester City.
Can they beat champions PSG this evening? For Slot, the Champions League has become the only priority as his side’s domestic title defence has faltered.
Despite their recent struggles in the Premier League, the Reds have been a different animal in Europe this season, finishing in the top three of the league phase. Liverpool are buoyed by the return of Alexander Isak to the matchday squad, although the striker is on the bench after a long-term injury lay-off. However, the visitors remain without Alisson Becker, meaning Giorgi Mamardashvili will continue his run in goal for what is arguably his biggest test in a Liverpool shirt.
PSG have won their last four matches in all competitions, scoring 15 goals in that span.
They will have to beware the fact that in four of the last five Champions League editions, the holders have been eliminated at the quarter-final stage (Bayern Munich 2020-21, Chelsea 2021-22, Manchester City 2023-24 and Real Madrid 2024-25), with only Real Madrid in 2022-23 managing to progress to the semi-finals.
A rare, disciplined defensive performance is essential for the visitors if they want to take a manageable result back to Anfield for the second leg.
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Paris St-Germain team news
The defending champions make just one change from the team which saw off Chelsea last time out. Bradley Barcola is not fit to make the squad so Desire Doue comes in.
PSG XI: Matvey Safonov, Nuno Mendes, Willian Pacho, Marquinhos, Achraf Hakimi, João Neves, Vitinha, Warren Zaïre-Emery, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Ousmane Dembélé, Désiré Doué
Liverpool team news
Mo Salah drops to the bench while Giorgi Mamardashvili and Joe Gomez start. Can Isak make an impact as a substitute?
Liverpool XI: Giorgi Mamardashvili, Milos Kerkez, Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konaté, Joe Gomez, Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch, Florian Wirtz, Dominik Szoboszlai, Jeremie Frimpong, Hugo Ekitiké
Where to watch PSG v Liverpool: TV channel, live online streams
Kick-off on Wednesday is at 20:00 BST (15:00 ET / 12:00 PT). Live TV coverage in the UK is on TNT Sports 1.
Streaming is on the HBO Max app. TNT Sports costs £30.99 a month and is available on a vast range of devices including smart TVs and gaming consoles.
PSG v Liverpool stats
- These teams have met six times in European competition, with each side prevailing three times and Paris winning both two‑legged ties between the clubs (3-2 on aggregate in the 1996/97 Cup Winners’ Cup semi‑finals and on penalties in last season’s Champions League round of 16)
- PSG have won their last four Champions League quarter-final ties and their last six two-legged ties in the competition
- At 20 years and 31 days of age, Warren Zaire‑Emery could become the youngest player ever to reach 40 Champions League appearances, surpassing the record held by Jude Bellingham (21 years 164 days)
- Kvaratskhelia has scored in three successive Champions League knockout stage matches for PSG, netting four goals across those games
- None of PSG’s 60 knockout matches in the competition have finished 0-0, while none of Liverpool’s 36 games in Europe against French teams have finished goalless
- Liverpool have won seven of their last 11 European matches against French teams (D1 L3).
- Only Manchester United (19) have featured in more quarter-finals in the competition than Liverpool (18)
- Reds midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai has scored in five of his last eight Champions League appearances
- Since drawing 0-0 with Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter‑finals in April 2021, Liverpool have gone 51 consecutive European matches without a goalless game
- Six of their last eight Champions League quarter-final ties have ended victoriously