Players of Liverpool line up during the penalty shoot out during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Round of 16 Second Leg match between Liverpool FC and Paris Saint-Germain at Anfield on March 11, 2025 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)Players of Liverpool line up during the penalty shoot out during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Round of 16 Second Leg match between Liverpool FC and Paris Saint-Germain at Anfield on March 11, 2025 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Players of Liverpool line up during the penalty shoot out during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Round of 16 Second Leg match between Liverpool FC and Paris Saint-Germain at Anfield on March 11, 2025 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images) | Liverpool FC via Getty Images
How the French media reacted to Liverpool’s Champions League last 16 second-leg loss to PSG.
Liverpool’s Champions League adventure has come to an end.
Any fans who held hopes of the Reds repeating their remarkable feat of 1984 are over. While the league title may be heading to the Anfield trophy cabinet and the League Cup could also be on its ways, the European Cup will not. Joe Fagan won all three pieces of silverware in his maiden season as manager. Arne Slot had a chance to replicate such an achievement - but Liverpool have fallen short.
There is no doubt that Slot will be full of pride after the loss to Paris Saint-Germain. Certainly, when securing top spot of the new league phase, the Reds did not expect to be drawn against one of the competition’s strongest teams in the last 16. In truth, over two legs PSG probably deserved it. They were dominant in the opening game at the Parc des Princes, yet Liverpool snatched a 1-0 smash-and-grab victory.
It meant the return clash at Anfield was always going to be gripping and pulsating - that is exactly how it played out. Ousmane Dembele levelled for the Parisians just 12 minutes as the encounter took a twist. Then for the subsequent 108 minutes, the two teams could not be separated. Liverpool displayed all of the reasons why they are Premier League champions-elect. But PSG also underlined why they’re on track to deliver a clean sweep in France and many have them favourites to conquer Europe for the first time in the club’s history. Both sides had chances, with the Reds having a goal disallowed for offside. With home goalkeeper Alisson Becker and visiting stopper Gianluigi Donnarumma both enjoying good evenings, it meant the showdown came down to a penalty shootout - and Luis Enrique’s side held their nerve to earn a 4-1 triumph.
French media reaction
Those of Liverpool persuasion left Anfield full of admiration for a PSG side. Kopites know when they have been beaten by an elite outfit and it was palatable . But how did the French media see the Reds’ performance? They are known for being infamously harsh in their assessments - and there was no exception when evaluating Liverpool.
L’Equipe are known for their miserly player ratings. In the second-leg tie, only Dominik Szoboszlai earned a 7/10. Meanwhile, Mo Salah, Diogo Jota and Ryan Gravenberch were all handed only 4/10.
And Foot Mercato agreed. The outlet handed Salah and Jota only 4/10 along with Ibrahimae Konate. On Salah, it said: “Highly anticipated after his ordeal in the first leg, the Egyptian started his match very strongly, offering himself two huge opportunities, the first blocked by Mendes (3rd) and the second which went just to the right of the goal after a beautiful raid in the defense (6th). Overall, all the opportunities were created on his side in the first half, but he often came up against an excellent Nuno Mendes, intractable in the wing.
“In the second half, he came close to bringing the Reds back to level, Kvaratskhelia miraculously saving his half-volley from a corner (62nd), but little by little fell back into his bad habits of the first leg, committing a lot (too many) technical inaccuracies and weighing little in the Reds' late push.”
Foot Mercato only gave Andy Robertson a 3.5 while Alexis Mac Allister was surprisingly handed 4.5. It said on Robertson: “Overwhelmed by Barcola on the counter-attack that led to Dembélé's goal (14th). Overall, his flank was a real sieve, with Barcola and then Dembele making his life hell. Too far forward on each of the Reds' turnovers, he put in a calamitous performance even with the ball, never finding a taker on his rare long crosses. A positive: his admirably well-taken set pieces, which put PSG in a very delicate situation, like this free kick that he placed on the head of Quansah.”
In addition, Homme du Match gave Nunez - who missed in the penalty just a 1/10 score. The outlet said: “A completely missed entry into the game, where he consistently chose the wrong option. His missed penalty shot reflects his performance.”