Liverpool’s manager believes in his group but knows knockout opponents in the Champions League don’t get more difficult than an in-form Paris Saint-Germain.
Liverpool’s reward for finishing first in the new look Champions League league phase has been to draw Paris Saint-Germain for the Round of 16, with Arne Slot’s Reds heading to the French capital for the first leg of the tie tonight.
On paper, Liverpool are favourites. They have been, after all, Europe’s top club side this season and lead the Premier League by 13 points with ten games to play. But PSG might be the in form side of the last few months, making for an exceptionally tough draw.
“I see Paris Saint-Germain as one of the strongest teams in Europe,” said Slot of his side’s upcoming opponents. “I think everyone agrees with me, if you’ve seen them playing in the last few weeks or last few months already.
“But that happened in the old format as well, where if you ended up number one there was always a team that you felt like, we’re hoping not to get that team. Now it can happen in this format as well but I think it is a great fixture for everyone who loves football.
“Both teams scored so many goals this season, have similar playing styles—not completely but the ideas are similar—both teams like to have the ball, both teams work really hard without the ball. So an interesting fixture to look forward to.”
Aside from a 1-1 draw with Reims on Janaury 25th, PSG have come out on top in 19 of their last 20 fixtures going back to the middle of December. Their last defeat came against Bayern Munich in the Champions League back in November.
Liverpool’s record this season, though, is even more impressive—at least setting aside their FA Cup hiccup against Plymouth—and league difficulty is higher for the Reds. There’s a case, though, this is the best PSG have ever looked as a team.
“I think we have to show in every part of our game the best possible performance from this season,” Slot added of what it will take for his side to get the result they need. “In every part of our game we have to be on top and the best possible version of ourselves.
“That can mean that we have to do really well on the counter-attack and if they give us a bit more time we have to be really good with the ball, and when they have the ball one of the best teams, or the best team, in Europe.
“So an interesting game. They are also quite intense in terms of pressing, and I think if there is one thing people will tell you about us it is that we are quite intense as well so tomorrow we have to wait and see what the game will bring us.”