Paris Saint-Germain produced a commanding display to defeat Liverpool FC 2-0 in their UEFA Champions League quarter-final first-leg clash, with Mohamed Salah left as an unused substitute throughout the encounter.
Goals from Désiré Doué and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia on either side of halftime secured a deserved victory for the French champions at the Parc des Princes, putting them firmly in control ahead of the return leg at Anfield.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot opted for a cautious setup, deploying a back three and surprisingly leaving Salah on the bench.
However, the approach failed to contain PSG’s fluid attack, as the hosts dominated possession and created the clearer chances from the outset.
The breakthrough arrived early when Doué cut in from the left and unleashed a curling effort that took a slight deflection, wrong-footing goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili.
PSG continued to press relentlessly, forcing Liverpool onto the defensive and limiting them to minimal attacking involvement.
Despite a series of missed opportunities—most notably from Ousmane Dembélé—PSG maintained control, while Liverpool failed to register a single shot before the break, underlining their struggles in attack without Salah on the pitch.
After the interval, the English side showed slight improvement but remained largely ineffective going forward.
PSG, on the other hand, maintained their attacking threat and doubled their lead midway through the second half.
Kvaratskhelia latched onto a well-timed pass, weaved past defenders with skill, rounded the goalkeeper, and calmly finished to cap a brilliant solo effort.
Further chances fell PSG’s way, with Dembélé hitting the woodwork and Nuno Mendes missing a late opportunity, as the hosts could have extended their advantage even further.
For Liverpool, the decision not to introduce Salah raised questions, especially as the team struggled to create meaningful chances and failed to register a shot on target.
They now face a difficult task in the second leg at Anfield, needing a strong response to overturn the deficit and keep their Champions League hopes alive.
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