Champions League
2025-03-11 - Liverpool vs Paris Saint-Germain
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: UEFA Champions League Last 16 Second Leg
Tuesday 11th March 2025 - Kick Off 8pm
This game is live on TV
Liverpool
It feels inevitable that Liverpool are going to be winning a second Premier League title at the end of this season having furthered their lead at the top of the Division at the end of this past weekend. Prioritising the Champions League could see Liverpool win this competition for the seventh time, but Arne Slot knows that it will be impossible to do that without a much improved performance in the Last 16 Second Leg.
Even the manager had to admit how outplayed his Liverpool team had been in the French capital, but that did not prevent the players producing a 'smash and grab' and earning a 1-0 lead to bring back to Anfield. The Reds have won all 4 Champions League games played at home this season and Liverpool have scored at least twice in each of those victories.
Liverpool came from behind to beat Southampton in the Premier League on Saturday and that has extended the unbeaten run to 7 games in all competitions, while they have won 4 in a row. They have won 7 in a row at Anfield in all competitions and Liverpool have continued scoring a lot of goals in front of the home fans.
Cody Gakpo has been back in training and could play a part in this Second Leg.
Paris Saint-Germain
The final scoreline might not have been what was expected, or deserved, but Paris Saint-Germain will have taken some confidence from the way they dominated Liverpool at the Parc des Princes. A young squad is going to be under a different pressure when playing at Anfield and the vibrant atmosphere that can be produced on European nights under the lights, but this does feel like a Paris Saint-Germain with more about them than during their superstar era.
Better finishing will be needed if Paris Saint-Germain are going to turn this Last 16 tie around, while they may also need a bit of fortune to be on their side much as it was in Liverpool's camp last week. The 5 game winning run in the Champions League was ended in the home defeat last time out, but Paris Saint-Germain have won 3 away games in succession in the premier UEFA competition.
Paris Saint-Germain have a slightly bigger lead at the top of the French Ligue 1 table than Liverpool have in the Premier League and they have won 11 of their last 12 games in all competitions. The side have won 10 away games in succession after crushing Rennes this past weekend.
Luis Enrique rang the changes in the League last time out with most of the attention on turning this Champions League tie around.
Head to Head
Liverpool will be hosting Paris Saint-Germain for a third time and they have won the previous 2 matches at Anfield.
The most recent ended 3-2 in Liverpool's favour in September 2018.
Prediction
There will have been a lot of head scratching in the French capital after the 0-1 win Liverpool earned in the Champions League League Last 16 First Leg, but Paris Saint-Germain are not out of this tie.
Any similar level of performance will give the away team an opportunity to upset the odds, although Luis Enrique will be looking for some of the leading players to produce a bit more composure in the final third.
Wastefulness was punished late on at the Parc des Princes and Paris Saint-Germain have to expect Liverpool to be much stronger back at Anfield in the Second Leg.
Arne Slot admitted that his team would have been fortunate if they had drawn last week and there has to be one or two concerns that Liverpool are feeling a little weary after playing two tough months of football. They did come from behind to beat Southampton on Saturday and Liverpool have continued to score a lot of goals at Anfield, but it was a poor first half display and that will offer Paris Saint-Germain encouragement.
For all of the chances last week, goals were missing, but these two teams could produce more in the final third this time around. It is going to be tough for Alisson to produce at the level he did in the First Leg and that will give the away team an opportunity, but Liverpool are also expected to be much more dangerous in front of their own fans.
An early goal could spark the Second Leg and backing at least three goals to be shared out is the call, although there is a feeling that the four goals that we were looking for last week may be reached this time around.
The Statistics :
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The Pick :
Liverpool 2-2 Paris Saint-Germain
