Having been outplayed and beaten 2–0 in the first leg in Paris, Liverpool needed a comeback at Anfield. After half an hour, Virgil van Dijk had a golden chance to put Liverpool ahead, which might have shifted the tie in the hosts’ favour. However, PSG captain Marquinhos produced a goal-line clearance to deny the Dutch centre-back.
Instead, Paris not only preserved their advantage but also prevailed 2-0 on the road thanks to a brace from Ousmane Dembélé. For Slot, who had already been under growing pressure despite winning the English league title last term, the outlook is now bleak. The 47-year-old’s long-term future at Liverpool is in serious doubt.
With Liverpool’s Champions League campaign now over, Slot’s immediate priority is securing a top-four finish to return to the competition next season. Currently fifth, Liverpool can take heart from the Premier League’s newly minted fifth Champions League berth, but with six matches left their four-point cushion over sixth-placed Chelsea—now the cut-off for elite European entry—is fragile.
Liverpool’s remaining fixtures are daunting: away trips to arch-rivals Everton and Manchester United, plus fourth-placed Aston Villa, and home clashes with Chelsea and seventh-placed Brentford, who still cling to slim Champions League hopes.