PSG Vs. Liverpool Prediction: Les Parisiennes Wants To Change Failed Narratives In The Last 16

JAKARTA - The exciting battle in the last 16 of the Champions League will be presented when Paris Saint-Germain host Liverpool at the Parc des Princes Stadium on Wednesday night March 5 or Thursday morning WIB. PSG, who are still hunting for their first European title, will try to break the curse of the last 16, while Liverpool come with the ambition to continue their dominance in the European arena under Arne Slot.

PSG managed to qualify for the knockout stages after going through a challenging league phase. Luis Enrique's team was on the verge of elimination, but successive wins in the last three matches included a dramatic 4-2 win over Manchester City bringing them to the playoffs. In that phase, PSG showed its superiority by destroying Brest with aggregate of 10-0 (3-0 in the first leg and 7-0 in the second leg).

Victory over Brest extended PSG's impressive record in the Champions League to five consecutive wins, their best record since the 1994-95 season. Their performance in domestic competition is also extraordinary, with a 4-1 win over Lille in their last match in Ligue 1 which further strengthens their position at the top of the standings with a 13-point lead.

However, despite dominating Ligue 1, PSG has a bad history in the last 16 of the Champions League. In the last eight seasons, they have been eliminated in this phase five times, making it a big challenge for Luis Enrique to change the narrative.

On the other hand, Liverpool performed outstandingly under the control of Arne Slot. The Reds easily topped the league stage standings with seven wins from eight matches, despite losing 2-3 to PSV Eindhoven in the last match which was no longer decisive.

Liverpool are currently also at the top of the Premier League standings with a 13-point lead, having won a straight win over Manchester City and Newcastle United with an identical score of 2-0. In addition, they will fight in the EFL Cup final against Newcastle United on March 16.

However, Liverpool have a bad record in their away game in the knockout stages of the Champions League. They have lost their last three games in this phase, despite all those defeats coming from Real Madrid. In addition, Liverpool have never won in their last five away games against French clubs since their last win over Marseille in September 2008. In the last meeting with PSG in 2018, Liverpool lost 1-2 in Paris after previously winning 3-2 at Anfield.

PSG received good news because they had no injury problems ahead of this match. Luis Enrique has a complete squad and is ready to field his best players. Some changes from the match against Lille are likely to be made, with Vitinha, Willian Pacho, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia expected to enter the starting XI.

Marquinhos will be an important figure in the back lines and have the opportunity to make history by making 100 appearances as a starter in the Champions League with PSG, making him the first player to achieve this feat with just one French club.

In the Liverpool camp, they had to lose three players due to injury, namely Tyler Morton (bahu), Conor Bradley (hamstring), and Joe Gomez (hamstring). However, these three players are not projected to start in this match.

Another player who will be absent is Amara Nallo, a young defender who gets a red card just four minutes after his debut against PSV. However, Liverpool still have full power up front, with Mohamed Salah being the main threat. The Egyptian has already recorded 20 goals in the knockout stages of the Champions League, more than any other African player, ahead of legends such as Didier Drogba and Samuel Eto'o.

PSG came into this match with high confidence after winning 10 consecutive wins in all competitions. They also have an advantage in fitness, considering Luis Enrique was able to rotate his players in a big win over Brest in the playoffs.

On the other hand, Liverpool have a better winning mentality and experience in the Champions League. Arne Slot has built a solid team despite just undergoing his first season at Anfield. Salah and his teammates also have high motivation to achieve positive results in Paris, especially given their poor away record in France.

This match is predicted to be tight and can be determined by the effectiveness of each team's attacks. PSG has a fast and creative front line with Kvaratskhelia, Dembele, and Barcola, while Liverpool rely on Salah's sharpness as well as their midfield creativity.

If PSG are able to control midfield and avoid mistakes on the back, they have a great chance of winning at home. However, if Liverpool were able to take advantage of their experience in European competitions and play discipline in defense, draw or even narrow win they could bring back to Anfield.

Paris Saint-Germain (4-3-3):Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes; Ruiz, Vitinha, Neves; Kvaratskhelia, Dembele, Barcola.

Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Gakpo; Diaz.

Score Prediction: PSG 2-2 Liverpool