Paris Saint-Germain produced a clinical display at Anfield as Ousmane Dembele’s brace secured a 2-0 victory over Liverpool FC, sealing a dominant 4-0 aggregate triumph and booking their place in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals.
The French champions, led by Luis Enrique, showed composure and efficiency to eliminate the Premier League side, who struggled to match PSG’s attacking quality over the two legs.
Dembele proved decisive, striking twice in the second half to silence the Anfield crowd and underline PSG’s growing dominance in European football.
“We showed maturity and patience tonight. This team knows how to win big games,” Enrique said after the match.
It was a frustrating evening for Arne Slot and his Liverpool side, who now face the prospect of ending the season without silverware. The defeat also marked a disappointing potential farewell in Europe for Mohamed Salah, who started on the bench in what could be his final Champions League appearance for the club.
Slot’s decision to rest Salah initially raised eyebrows, especially after Hugo Ekitike was forced off with a serious-looking injury in the first half.
“We had to manage minutes carefully, but the injury changed our plans completely,” Slot admitted.
Ekitike’s injury, suspected to be an Achilles rupture, could rule him out for the remainder of the season and potentially impact his international ambitions with France.
Despite flashes of threat after Salah’s introduction, Liverpool failed to capitalize on key chances, with efforts from Virgil van Dijk and others denied by resolute defending and goalkeeping.
Liverpool thought they had a route back into the tie when Alexis Mac Allister was awarded a penalty, but VAR overturned the decision for minimal contact, further compounding the hosts’ frustrations.
“Those moments matter in games like this, but we didn’t do enough overall,” Slot added.
As Liverpool pushed forward in search of a breakthrough, PSG capitalized on the space left behind. Dembele opened the scoring with a precise curling effort from outside the box before sealing the win with a composed finish from a Bradley Barcola assist deep into stoppage time.
The victory sends PSG into their third consecutive semi-final, where they will face either Bayern Munich or Real Madrid.
“We are focused on making history again,” Dembele said. “This team believes we can go all the way.”
With momentum on their side, PSG remain on course to defend their European crown and further cement their place among football’s elite.
