Few scorelines this season have been as preposterous as Liverpool's 1-0 win over PSG in the Champions League. The runaway Premier League leaders executed the ultimate smash-and-grab at the Parc des Prince on Wednesday after netting a late winner with their only shot on target, having been dominated from the get-go.
PSG had 71 per cent of the ball, registered 27 shots to Liverpool's two, and saw a couple of marginal VAR calls go against them on a dramatic night in Paris.
Harvey Elliott, who came off the bench to score with his first touch, was technically the match-winner, but it was Alisson Becker who made the difference, producing a record nine saves prior to the Reds' 87th-minute clincher. But gutting though the defeat may have been for Luis Enrique's side, they're confident of turning things around in the return leg at Anfield.
"Tough, everyone saw it. It's tough to play a game like that, against this team," PSG midfielder Vitinha told Canal+ after the final whistle. "They scored on their only chance. It's tough but now we're going to show the team we are.
"It's been a long time since we lost. Now it's up to us to show our personality, our strength. That's what a real team is. We're going to go there, we're going to play a great game and this time, we're going to score. And we're going to go through, I'm sure of it."
PSG were denied an opening goal in the first half when Khvicha Kvaratskhelia's stunning curling effort was ruled out by VAR for the tightest of offsides. Later on, the hosts were frustrated again when Liverpool's Ibrahima Konate escaped a red card after bungling Bradley Barcola over as the last man, though Vitinha insists his team aren't looking for excuses.
"We're not going to hide behind that [the decision not to send Konate off]," he said. "I remain optimistic because with the game we played, the victory would have been more than deserved. I know that the only thing that matters in football is that the ball goes into the goal.
Alisson was Liverpool's difference-maker, producing several stunning saves
"But the truth is that we are closer [to winning] by playing like this. We had plenty of chances, like at the start of the season, but we didn't manage to score. But I'm sure that will happen in Liverpool, we will play a great match, we will show personality once again and we will win."
Echoing his team-mate's sentiments, defender Willian Pacho said: "The team did a good job, we played a good game. We had a lot of chances, a lot of opportunities. The truth is that we did a lot to deserve the win, but that's football. Things don't always go your way. But now we have to pick ourselves up, now we have to improve and move forward to win the return match.
"I know we're going to score [at Anfield]. We have to keep our heads up. I have confidence in my team. We have what we did today was incredible. It (the goal) was bad luck, we made a mistake but these are things that happen in football. As I said, we have to keep our heads up, be positive and move forward. I think that if we do things well, we'll get a good result there."
Meanwhile, full-back Achraf Hakimi added: "We are frustrated to lose the match like that. There are many matches in which we have had many chances, dominated the entire match, and the opposing team creates an opportunity. It hurts to end the match like that.
Harvey Elliott's late winner sealed one heck of an unlikely victory for Liverpool
"We are ready to go to Liverpool to get a victory that we deserved today. Today, we saw the desire and the personality of the whole team. We dominated, we created chances, we had the ball, we attacked... I don't think the match will end the same way twice. If we have the same personality, the same dynamic, the same determination as today, it's certain that we will manage to qualify."
Whoever wins the tie will likely face Aston Villa in the quarter-finals after their 3-1 midweek victory over Club Brugge. The Champions League is the one major trophy that has eluded PSG, and winning it remains their ultimate ambition. Since Qatar Sports Investments took over in 2011, the club has spent nearly £2billion on players. Yet, despite their dominance in Ligue 1, European success continues to escape them.
Liverpool, meanwhile, are hoping to end the campaign with one heck of a bang. With the Premier League title all but wrapped up, Arne Slot's side are free to focus much of their energy on their Champions League campaign, particularly after being knocked out of the FA Cup last month. But, as Wednesday suggested, knocking PSG out will be no walk in the park.
Slot's men will first face basement boys Southampton in the Premier League before the all-decisive second leg against PSG at Anfield on Tuesday night.
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