Alisson Becker
Photo by Franco Arland/Getty Images
Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker delivered one of the most extraordinary individual performances in recent Champions League history as the Reds secured an unlikely 1-0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday night.
The Brazilian international was in inspired form, making nine crucial saves to deny PSG’s star-studded attack and preserve a clean sheet that ultimately allowed Harvey Elliott’s late strike to secure a precious advantage heading into the second leg at Anfield next week.
In a match where PSG registered 27 shots to Liverpool’s meager two, Alisson’s heroics were the difference between what could have been a comfortable home win and what became a stunning away victory for Arne Slot’s side.
“This was the performance of my life,” Alisson admitted post-match, a statement that few who witnessed his display would argue with. The 32-year-old produced six diving saves among his nine stops, repeatedly denying Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Ousmane Dembélé, and substitute Désiré Doué with reflexes that defied belief.
Reporter: Was that your best personal performance of the season?
Alisson “Probably of my life.” (TNT)
— DaveOCKOP (@DaveOCKOP) March 5, 2025
PSG generated an expected goals on target (xGOT) value of 2.26, indicating they created enough high-quality chances to score at least twice. Instead, they were left frustrated by Alisson’s brilliance as Liverpool executed a perfect smash-and-grab victory.
And speaking to TNT Sports’ Fred Caldeira last night, Alisson namechecked Liverpool goalkeeping coach Claudio Taffarel as the reason for his high level of performance:
“Taffarel makes me maintain this high level since he came to Liverpool, it was with the goal of I had already won the Champion League, we’d beaten Premier League champions, and we would’ve been winning the World Cup, but in my mind I knew that I could improve.”
“So, I worked for Taffarel in our national team, that helped me a lot technically, so I thought it would be a great thing for me to have him here daily working daily and he brought a lot more for me in these last few years three or four we’ve been together only in Liverpool”
There’s also the time of our national team which is very important, he’s an important guy, but inside and outside [of football] we talk”
The 32-year-old is known to have a good relationship with Taffarel.
Claudio Taffarel was a former Brazilian goalkeeper who won the 1994 World Cup.
He was appointed goalkeeping coach for Liverpool FC men’s team in November 2021.
Entrevista completa com Alisson, o intransponível: pic.twitter.com/6g4LJ75GLT
— Fred Caldeira (@fredcaldeira) March 6, 2025
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