Andy Robertson previews Tuesday's Champions League clash with Paris Saint-Germain and reflects on Saturday's 3-1 win against Southampton
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Updated 12:19, 09 Mar 2025
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - MARCH 08: Andrew Robertson of Liverpool during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Southampton FC at Anfield on March 08, 2025 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)
(Image: Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Andy Robertson admits Paris Saint-Germain have been the toughest opponents this season but warned the Anfield factor will make Tuesday's second leg a much different game as Liverpool hunt down a Champions League quarter-final place.
The Reds beat the Ligue 1 champions in the French capital on Wednesday night thanks to Harvey Elliott's late strike but it was the performance of Alisson Becker that earned the most plaudits in a game dominated by PSG at the Parc des Princes.
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Brazil international Alisson made nine saves in total, including a handful of outstanding stops to deny the likes of Bradley Barcola, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and substitute Desire Doue.
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The dominance from PSG has led to confidence in French media of a second-leg turnaround and coach Luis Enrique claimed after Wednesday's game that his side would be able to score the minimum of two goals they need on Merseyside.
To keep fresh for that game, PSG made eight changes in total at the weekend as they beat Rennes 4-1 away from home. Robertson, though, has told the visitors that Anfield will inevitably have an influence on things as the Reds look to set up a last-eight meeting with either Club Brugge or Aston Villa.
“Of course. It's a game we're not overly-used to in terms of how big the difference in possession was, how many shots they had and how many shots we had," Robertson said, speaking after Saturday's 3-1 win over Southampton. "Usually our games are a lot more even or we are the other team so it was a lot different and took a lot out of the lads, of course it did.
"But to win leagues, to win trophies, you have to be able to keep doing it every three days and luckily we had the squad; we needed energy and when I was talking to the lads on the bench I said: 'Make sure you're ready because you're going to be needed'.
"That was quite obvious from 15 to 20 minutes into the game and the lads took that onto the pitch and we helped bring energy to the lads who were maybe feeling tired.
"The league is more competitive than the French league, that's no disrespect to the French league. We have to keep going, there is no easy game in the Premier League. That's two games now we have struggled against Southampton who are bottom of the league.
"You can't take any team lightly. We made only three changes and then three of us have to come on at half-time. It is two different leagues but we are doing well on two different fronts right now and hopefully that can continue.
“It's going to be a tough game. They showed how good they can be, an exceptional team – probably the best we have played this season. We have got the lead, which is important, but we can obviously play better than we did on Wednesday, that's clear and we will have to play better as we can't rely on Alisson playing the game of his life every game.
"We have to be better, we have to be better without the ball and if we do that hopefully the crowd can be behind us as we know what they can be like on Champions League nights. The aim is to get through but we have to play a lot better than we did in the first half today and the whole 90 minutes over there.
“They were excellent. The crowd was up, it was a really big game for them and their fans when another big team comes in the Champions League. Since they've had the big investment it is clear their aim is to win the Champions League so all that was factored in.
"But we can play a lot better, we know that. I thought they played really well but I thought the defence and goalie stood up when they had to and kept a clean sheet, which not many teams do in that stadium. We need to play better, there is no denying that.
"We have to be more front-footed but we will need to rest, recover and when we are back in training the gameplan will be clear and hopefully on Tuesday night we'll be talking when we're through to the quarter-finals.
“Of course, the stadium made a difference on Wednesday as their players reacted off their fans and more often than not on Champions League nights our players do that and we don't need to ask our fans to be at their best, it's a given.
"It's up to us to react off that and perform because it's not easy to get into the Champions League quarter-finals, especially the draw we've been given and it's not going to be easy but if we are at our best we believe we can beat any team and if we do that we will be the ones in the last eight."
The Reds moved 16 points clear of Arsenal on Saturday courtesy of victory against the relegation-threatened Southampton, with Mohamed Salah adding a brace of penalties to Darwin Nunez's equaliser that cancelled out Will Smallbone's first-half goal.
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Robertson, who was a second-half substitute, adds: "I think we actually started the game quite well the first five to 10 minutes, we kind of had them pushed back but the next 35 minutes was nowhere near good enough.
"I thought we were a bit lethargic, looked a bit tired, and they were able to enter the game with a bit of confidence. Second half was completely different, we brought the energy, we created chances and we deserved to win in the end.
“I think we (half time subs of Robertson, Alexis Mac Allister and Harvey Elliott) made a difference. The instruction was pretty clear coming on, the manager just said to the three of us 'just try and bring more energy and legs to the team' and all three of us did that.
"Harvey continued on the high wave from what he did on Wednesday night, he was excellent, Macca has been excellent all season and I know what I can do in moments – drive forward and drive with the team.
"It made the difference, which helps as we've always said we need the full squad and it was our three's turn to be on the bench and then come on and make a big difference. I thought Wata (Endo) and Diogo Jota came on and made a big difference and thankfully we got the win.
"I think we have elements of that. The first 10 to 15 minutes of the second half I thought we blew them away and that was maybe similar to what we have kind of done in previous seasons.
"But maybe we have a bit more control and have time to be a bit more patient where the 19-20 team was probably when we got the ball we killed people on the counter-attack and in the half-spaces and before they even thought about it we were in front of goal.
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"It is different but I do still think we have elements and you saw that in the second half where we were very gung-ho and just put Southampton under pressure and kept them penned in. Thankfully the lads had their shooting boots on and we were able to punish them."