Liverpool pulled off a smash-and-grab victory against Paris Saint-Germain in their UEFA Champions League round-of-16 first leg, with substitute Harvey Elliott scoring a late winner at the Parc des Princes.
Despite being outclassed for most of the match, Arne Slot’s side showed remarkable resilience, soaking up relentless pressure from PSG before Elliott capitalized on a rare opportunity to put the Premier League leaders in control heading into next week’s return leg at Anfield.
PSG Dominate, but Liverpool Snatch the Win to Silence Paris
Arne Slot had warned his players they would need to “suffer” against PSG, and that prophecy played out as Liverpool were dominated for much of the match.
PSG’s January signing Khvicha Kvaratskhelia thought he had broken the deadlock with a stunning curling effort, only for VAR to rule it out for offside.
Liverpool were second-best throughout the game, finishing with just 29% possession and registering only two shots compared to PSG’s 27 attempts.
However, a heroic performance from Alisson Becker kept the visitors in contention, as the Brazilian made several world-class saves, denying Ousmane Dembélé, Bradley Barcola, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
PSG manager Luis Enrique’s side overwhelmed Liverpool in every department, showcasing a relentless counter-press that forced the Reds into a defensive shell.
Then, against the run of play, Elliott—who replaced a surprisingly off-color Mohamed Salah just five minutes earlier—slotted home past Gianluigi Donnarumma in the 87th minute to give Liverpool an unlikely lead.
Despite PSG having 27 shots to Liverpool’s two and dominating possession, it was the Premier League leaders who emerged victorious.
With Anfield looming for the second leg, Liverpool now have a golden opportunity to knock out the French giants.
Liverpool now take a narrow advantage back, but PSG will feel they can turn the tie around, given their dominance in Paris.
Barcelona’s Wojciech Szczęsny Heroics Secure Victory in Lisbon
Elsewhere, Barcelona defied the odds in their round-of-16 clash against Benfica, securing a hard-fought 1-0 victory at the Estádio da Luz despite playing with 10 men for more than 70 minutes.
Raphinha’s 61st-minute screamer was the difference, but it was goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny who stole the headlines with an inspired performance, making eight crucial saves to frustrate the hosts.
The former Juventus stopper, who came out of retirement last year to sign for Barça, proved why manager Hansi Flick has placed his trust in him.
Benfica had their chances, but after Pau Cubarsí’s 22nd-minute red card, Barcelona defended resolutely to claim a crucial away win.
The second leg at the Olympic Stadium next Tuesday promises fireworks, with a quarterfinal spot on the line.
Bayern Munich Edge Closer to Quarterfinals After Crushing Bayer Leverkusen
Over in Germany, Harry Kane was the star of the show as Bayern Munich cruised to a 3-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen in an all-Bundesliga round-of-16 encounter.
Kane opened the scoring in the 9th minute, heading in a Michael Olise cross before Jamal Musiala capitalized on a goalkeeping error from Matej Kovar to double Bayern’s advantage.
Leverkusen’s hopes of a comeback were shattered in the second half when Nordi Mukiele saw red, reducing the visitors to 10 men.
Kane then stepped up to convert a penalty in the 75th minute, sealing his 31st goal of the season and putting Thomas Tuchel’s side in full control of the tie ahead of the second leg.
With Liverpool, Barcelona, and Bayern securing key first-leg victories, the return fixtures next week will be tougher as teams battle for a place in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals.
