PSG boss Luis Enrique makes Liverpool 'upper hand' admission and honest Anfield atmosphere verdict

Paris Saint-Germain boss Luis Enrique admitted that Liverpool might have had the upper hand in the Champions League last-16 second-tie tie - but was delighted it was his side who prevailed to the next round.

The Reds’ European journey this season is over after losing to the French giants on penalties. Liverpool won last week’s opening encounter 1-0 in Paris. It meant that there was still plenty to play for when the two sides did battle at Anfield for the return clash.

Ousmane Dembele’s 12th-minutr strike levelled up the tie PSG. Both teams had chances to win the game, with Liverpool’s Dominik Szoboszlai having a goal disallowed for offside and Jarell Quansah crashing a header against the post. After extra-time ended goalless, it meant a penalty shootout was needed - and PSG won 4-1 with Darwin Nunez and Curtis Jones missing for the Reds as they were kept out by goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

What’s been said

Giving his assessment, Enrique said: “Clearly I am happy. I'm really pleased with our performance. I think it is really significant moment for us, for the players and the supporters

“Either of the two teams could have gone through, ,we both deserved to go through but we deserved it slightly more, especially in the first game. We showed what sort of team we are, we have huge strength of character, personality, and a team who go out to play their own football.

There were times when Liverpool had the upper hand and were slightly better than us but we ever gave up attacking and we put in a top performance, which was what we needed to do. The first game belonged to Alisson Becker, the second game belonged to Donnarumma.”

Liverpool will take positives from the performance and the atmosphere at Anfield was typical of a big European game. Enrique felt that both clubs would be deserving of being in the Champions League quarter-finals - but it is PSG who will face either Aston Villa or Club Brugge in the quarter-finals. He added via Amazon Prime: “I think both of the teams deserved to go to the next phase. We played better than them in Paris, they played better than us I think here. But I think my team showed – in a special place, a special stadium – great personality, great character. We tried to play our best but it was really difficult because they are so intense and the atmosphere was great.”

Slot’s verdict

Arne Slot experienced his first European knockout match at Anfield since taking charge as Liverpool head coach at the start of the season. He called it the best game he’s ever been involved in. Slot said: “It was the best game of football I was ever involved in. I don’t have the history like Liverpool as a manager, but [it was] two teams of an incredible level [at] an incredible intensity. The first 25 minutes... OK, I also remember the first 25 minutes against Man City at home and the first 25 against [Real] Madrid, but this was unbelievable what we showed in the first 25.

“I looked at the scoreboard and we were 1-0 down. Over 90 minutes I don’t think we deserved to lose this game of football today. Over 180 minutes, maybe it was deserved that we went to overtime. In overtime I thought Paris Saint-Germain was a bit better than us in this half-hour and then it comes down to penalties and they scored four, us one and we lost.”