Ousmane Dembele delivered a decisive display at Anfield, scoring both goals as Paris Saint-Germain beat Liverpool 2-0 and completed a 4-0 aggregate victory
in the Champions League quarter-finals. The result sent Luis Enrique’s team into the semi-finals, where PSG will face Bayern Munich or Real Madrid after another controlled European away performance.
Dembele’s double also continued an impressive personal run in Champions League away fixtures against Premier League sides. Last year’s Ballon d’Or winner has now produced five goal contributions in the last five such games, with four goals and one assist, and Liverpool are the first English team Dembele has scored twice against in a single Champions League match.
The forward’s influence at Anfield went beyond the two goals. Dembele recorded team-high numbers for shots with six attempts, had eight touches inside the Liverpool penalty area and created two chances, level with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. Those contributions helped the European champions secure a fifth semi-final appearance in the last seven Champions League seasons.
Across this campaign, Dembele has managed to stay productive despite repeated minor injuries. The French forward now has 24 goal involvements in all competitions, with 16 goals and eight assists. Dembele suggested that the performance against Liverpool reflected the level Dembele has been aiming to reach, especially in the Champions League knockout rounds.
Dembele told Canal+ about the mindset behind the display and the challenge of playing at Anfield. "We're in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, in a stadium like this, we knew it was going to be difficult even if we won in the first leg," Dembele said. "There are no easy matches in the Champions League, you have to suffer to go all the way. We had chances in the first half, where we controlled a bit. It was a little more complicated in the second. We came out with two wins, which is very good. I've wanted to show my football for a long time, since last season. Every game, I want to help the team, with a goal or an assist or pressing the goalkeeper. I try to give my best for PSG. I hope to have a very good end to the season, there are important deadlines. "
Liverpool responded far better than in the first leg at the Parc des Princes, where Arne Slot’s side struggled in attack. At Anfield, Liverpool registered 21 shots, their highest total without scoring in a Champions League fixture since the 1-0 defeat to Real Madrid in the May 2022 final, when Liverpool recorded 24 attempts but also failed to score.
The goalless return also added an unwanted historical note for Liverpool in European competition. This was only the third time Liverpool failed to score in both legs of a European Cup or Champions League knockout tie, after the 1978-79 first round against Nottingham Forest and the 2005-06 round of 16 meeting with Benfica, underlining the scale of PSG’s defensive effort.
Liverpool still created major openings, particularly during a strong spell in the second half. Milos Kerkez forced an outstanding stop from Matvey Safonov, with Marquinhos then blocking Virgil van Dijk’s rebound effort near the line. The hosts were also awarded a penalty at one stage, but that decision was later overturned following a VAR review, denying Liverpool another route back.
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PSG vs Liverpool Champions League defensive resilience
Marquinhos described the crucial defensive intervention that denied Van Dijk and highlighted its importance within the tie. "A save for a defender is better than a goal. It's the kind of moment when you enjoy it the most. My goalkeeper made a save and needs a second ball," Marquinhos said. "I turned around, and I saw Van Dijk coming, I just had the reflex to throw myself on the ball and try to save. These are details that change a match. We were able to defend well. Liverpool used their weapons with long balls, corners, physical play. We remained strong. In the strong moments, you have to take advantage of it and score goals. In weak moments, we have to be strong and not concede a goal. That's what we did, we have to continue. You can see the maturity of the team. Last year, we went through all the moments where we could gain experience. Away games are where we suffer. Today, we were aware that the match was not over. We had to come to win, that's the mentality we needed. "
Marquinhos’ comments reflected a wider theme for PSG in this tie, as the team balanced attacking threat with disciplined defending in both legs. The controlled approach at Anfield showed a squad used to pressure away from home, and PSG now move into the semi-finals with Dembele in form and the defence delivering under intense scrutiny from a Liverpool side that created many attempts but failed to score.
