New season, same old habits: PSG stomp toothless Liverpool

Bad habits die hard, and Liverpool are a living proof of it.

Instead of a full-scale revenge against Paris Saint-Germain for that Round of 16 elimination last season, the Reds lost to Les Parisiens again on Wednesday night, 2-0. Deserved, dominant, landslide triumph for Luis Enrique's men, who could have put at least two or three more in the back of the net at Parc des Princes.

Without Mohamed Salah who was benched, Arne Slot's side relied heavily on the attacking axis of Ekitike-Wirtz, but it seemed like they lacked much more firepower in midfield, where Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister just couldn't answer PSG's tactics.

Vitinha, Neves, Mendes, Hakimi and Zaire-Emery controlled the ball, the tempo, and dominated the possession straight from the start. Twenty minutes into the match, the margin was appalling: 75%-25%.

The same can be said for passes (117-9), for goal-scoring chances, for goals...

The hosts opened the scoring after only 10 minutes, as Desire Doue fired nicely, but the ball deflected off Gravenberch to make it 1-0.

Liverpool were too nervous, as Joe Gomez and Mac Allister got booked for their respective reckless tackles. PSG's speed was simply too much for the low-energy visitors. Dembele and Khvicha maybe started a bit slower, but they also joined the cavalry on the flanks.

Mamardashvilli denied Kvhicha before putting stop to Doue's close-range effort, Dembele should have scored after a marvelous build-up... The Reds were trembling.

A quarter of an hour clocked when Frimpong fired past the right post, which was Liverpool's first and almost the only serious attempt tonight. For the first time in the last six years, the Reds didn't register a single shot on goal in a Champions League game!

On the other hand, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia doubled the lead after a perfectly weighted through ball from Joao Neves.

PSG, however, were left to rue missed chances to all but kill the tie. Dembele squandered two more clear-cut chances, firing over the bar, and later rattling the woodwork after a defensive lapse from Frimpong.

There was at least a small boost for Liverpool, as Alexander Isak made his long-awaited return from injury. But with a two-goal deficit to overturn, the road ahead looks steep—and PSG firmly hold the upper hand heading into the second leg.

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE - QUARTER FINALS

First leg

Tuesday

Real Madrid - Bayern Munich 1-2 (0-1)

/Mbappe 74 - Diaz 41, Kane 46/

Sporting Lisbon - Arsenal 0-1 (0-0)

/Havertz 90+1/

Wednesday

Barcelona - Atletico Madrid 0-2 (0-1)

/Alvarez 45, Sorloth 70/

PSG - Liverpool 2-0 (1-0)

/Doue 11, Khvicha 65/