PARIS (AP) — Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah was put on the bench for the Champions League quarterfinal first leg against defending champion Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday.
Salah has yet to find his best form in his last season at the club, with only 10 goals in 35 games so far. He missed a penalty in the 4-0 loss to Manchester City in the FA Cup quarterfinals last weekend.
Hugo Ekitiké leads the attack with Jeremie Frimpong taking Salah's customary
position on the right wing.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot said on the eve of the game that resisting an early onslaught from PSG was key to Liverpool's chances of keeping the tie alive heading into the return leg at Anfield next week.
“PSG under (coach) Luis Enrique do not give you a second to have the ball comfortable on your feet,” said. “It’s press, press, press every second of the game.”
When the two sides met last season in the round of 16, PSG advanced on penalties against six-time champion Liverpool following an intense battle. PSG carried the momentum from that victory all the way to a first Champions League title.
While Liverpool was arguably the pre-match favorite last year, it's a different story now. Slot's team is reeling from a crushing FA Cup loss and will be trophyless unless it wins the Champions League.
PSG has Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembélé, midfielder Vitinha and flying winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in top form. Dembélé scored a scintillating volley against Toulouse in the French league on Friday and seems to be peaking at the right time.
However, PSG is still missing midfielder Fabián Ruiz with a knee injury and is without winger Bradley Barcola, who injured his ankle in the last-16 rout of Chelsea.
Liverpool striker Alexander Isak — the British-record signing for 125 million pounds ($170 million) — has recovered from injury and was on the bench at Parc des Princes.
Isak had surgery in December on a broken ankle and fibula.
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