By Liverpool were on the ropes for 87 minutes against Paris St-Germain at the Parc des Princes. However, Harvey Elliott struck 46 seconds after coming on as a substitute. He secured a 1-0 first-leg advantage for the Reds in their last-16 tie.
The hosts could have been out of sight. They should have been out of sight, as they peppered the Liverpool goal throughout. They had 27 attempts compared to just two for the visitors.
But PSG found Brazil goalkeeper Alisson in otherworldly form. The 32-year-old repelled everything that came his way. This frustrated the French champions.
He made nine saves. This was the most by a Liverpool goalkeeper in a Champions League game. Opta has been recording the data since the 2003-04 season. “It was probably the performance of my life,” Alisson told TNT Sports.
The manager was telling us how hard it would be to play against PSG. He mentioned how good they are with the ball. We would have to be ready to suffer. “We knew what was coming.”
Elliott said of his team-mate: “He is unbelievable, the best in the world. “In each and every game he shows it and keeps us in many games. Without him I don’t know where we would be.”
How one-sided was it?
PSG fans will still be wondering just how their side did not win this game. Indeed, when Elliott scored, there was an air of disbelief. The supporters inside the ground struggled to comprehend what had just happened. This was given how dominant the hosts had been.
Here are some stats which highlight PSG’s supremacy:
- Liverpool scored with their first shot on target
- PSG had 27 shots in this match – the second-most on record (since 2003-04) by a side in a Champions League knockout match in which they both failed to score and lost, behind only PSG themselves v Borussia Dortmund in May 2024 (30)
- Liverpool won this match despite having 25 fewer shots than PSG (two to 27) – the joint-largest negative difference in shots by a winning team on record (since 2003-04) in a Champions League knockout game (PSG v Bayern in April 2021 also 25, six shots to 31)
- The Reds faced 20-plus shots in a knockout Champions League match for only the fifth time on record. On all four previous occasions, Liverpool always conceded at least one goal.
- Alisson’s nine saves beat his own record of most saves in a Liverpool Champions League match (8) v Tottenham in the 2019 final
‘Liverpool got away with it’
Alisson has been at Liverpool since 2018. He has had many memorable displays. This must rank at the very top.
PSG have been in sensational form since the turn of the year. They were aiming to extend their unbeaten record to 23 games on Wednesday.
They were dominant from the first minute. The visitors struggled to get out of their own half. It seemed only a matter of time before the French side took the lead.
Liverpool did ride their luck. A couple of early decisions went in their favour. However, Alisson ultimately proved to be the difference.
He pulled off sensational saves to deny a host of PSG players. He stopped Ousmane Dembele twice. He also denied Khvicha Kvaratskhelia four times. Additionally, he saved attempts from substitute Desire Doue twice.
“[Liverpool] got away with it because of Alisson,” former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock told BBC Radio 5 live.
“You buy those type of players for performances like that. That’s how you win titles, that’s how they won the Champions League [in 2019].
“Alisson is so key to the way they perform. He is superb at reading situations. His decision-making is exceptional.”
It was a performance that underlined Alisson’s position as the Reds’ number one goalkeeper. He will have fresh competition for next season.
Georgia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili will join in the summer from La Liga side Valencia. Reports suggest he has his sights set on becoming first choice.
Liverpool also have Caoimhin Kelleher. He has always stepped up superbly whenever Alisson has been absent through injury. However, the Republic of Ireland man’s long-term future at the club is uncertain.
“I don’t think that I have ever worked with a goalkeeper at this level before. That is normal because he is the best in the world,” Liverpool boss Arne Slot said of Alisson.
“I have had some very good players as a manager but never the best goalkeeper in the world until now.”
Misfortune and missed chances also cost PSG
PSG fans are perplexed at how their side lost. They also feel aggrieved at some decisions that went against them early on.
Kvaratskhelia had a fine goal in the first half disallowed by the video assistant referee (VAR) for a marginal offside.
Ibrahima Konate was also fortunate not to be sent off after a last-man challenge on Bradley Barcola.
Referee Davide Massa decided it was not a foul at the time. After a check, VAR opted against overruling the official.
But aside from Alisson’s heroics, PSG were also wasteful with 17 of their 27 attempts failing to hit the target.
“In the first half [PSG] were great. Former Man City defender Nedum Onuoha said there were no goals. He commented this on BBC Champions League Match of the Day.”
“The fluidity of the front three is so impressive. Whenever they got the ball, they looked to run at Liverpool. They tried to glide past defenders. They aimed to break into key areas to make chances.
“Unfortunately the final part, the most important part, was getting the ball in the net and that was missing.”
Slot added: “If you look at the underlying stats in the Champions League, it shows they were number one. They have already played Atletico Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, and Arsenal. To have the best stats after facing that quality tells you a lot.
“For us the only way over here with their fans behind them was to defend as we did. Now we are hoping that our fans at Anfield will help us a lot. We will need Anfield two times.”
