Liverpool boss Arne Slot hinted that he expects more possession control at Anfield against the “most complete team” they have faced so far this season, Paris Saint-Germain. The Reds have a one-goal advantage over Les Parisiens after their first-leg Champions League Round of 16 victory last week.
PSG are the most in-form team in Europe despite their shocking loss to the Merseyside giant at Parc des Princes. Les Parisiens had a 10-game winning streak in all competitions before their loss and defeated Rennes 1-4 in the weekend.
PSG’s squad is arguably the best they have had since they started to spend astronomical sums in the transfer market. While their past squad included many star names, they never showed the cohesiveness and unity as they have now.
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot praised Luis Enrique and the work he has done at Paris Saint-Germain.
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot praised Luis Enrique and the work he has done at Paris Saint-Germain.
The French club have a formidably athletic and high-quality attacking unit, combined with equally physical midfield and defence. PSG manager Luis Enrique’s man-v-man marking brings the best out of these players and allows them to control possession.
Speaking in the pre-match press conference, Slot hinted that he expects more possession dominance from Liverpool while praising PSG as the most complete team they have faced so far this season. He said:
“Yes, I do think so because this is the most complete team we’ve faced so far. What I mean by complete – and OK, we’ve faced Arsenal and [Manchester] City and it’s not that there are big margins – but the intensity they’ve played at combined with the quality they have… they have so much quality and a great, great, great manager. He lets the team play in a way that is not easy to play against his team; he brings the best out of every player and he brings an incredible work-rate into the team. That’s why I think we have to be at our best tomorrow. But, for example, we didn’t have ball possession at all at City away but at home we had a completely different performance against City than we did away.”
Social media and the media have found ways to undermine the Reds’ season so far under Slot despite their success. Liverpool are at the top of the Premier League with a 15-point lead over second-placed Arsenal. The Reds are also in the Carabao Cup final, which they play in 16th on March against Newcastle United.
Furthermore, Liverpool topped the Champions League’s League Phase stage, yet they have received constant jibes from the media. Many called Liverpool’s victory over PSG in the first leg a heist or a victory through luck.
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Nevertheless, the Reds showcased brilliant defensive stability in the second-half and Slot’s substitution provided them an outlet to score. While Liverpool respects what Enrique has done at PSG, the Reds need to take control of the game at Anfield and once again prove their naysayers wrong.