Paris Saint-Germain’s coach, Luis Enrique, has played down his team’s status as favorites ahead of the highly anticipated Champions League quarterfinal first leg against Liverpool on Wednesday. Enrique emphasized that current form will have minimal impact in such a crucial encounter.
PSG, sitting at the top of Ligue 1 and the reigning European champions, will face a Liverpool side that has been inconsistent, currently occupying the fifth spot in the Premier League with 15 defeats across all competitions this season, their highest since 2014-15.
Enrique stated, “Everyone is trying to determine the favorites, but in a match like this, it holds little significance. It will be a challenging game for both teams.”
This fixture brings back memories of last season’s round of 16 clash where PSG advanced on penalties despite Liverpool being the favored side. Their head-to-head record stands level, with both teams securing three wins each from their six European encounters.
PSG enters the match in stellar form after convincingly defeating Chelsea 8-2 on aggregate in the previous round, while Liverpool overcame an initial deficit to beat Galatasaray 4-1 overall.
The French powerhouse has shown dominance against English opponents, remaining unbeaten in their last six Champions League matches against Premier League teams (W5 D1) and progressing from all four knockout ties against them since the last season.
Both PSG and Liverpool are expected to display attacking football, with PSG (90) and Liverpool (85) leading in shots on target in this season’s competition. Despite this, PSG faces the challenge of historical odds as the defending champions have been knocked out in four of the last five quarterfinals, with Real Madrid being the only exception in the 2022-23 season.
In another quarterfinal showdown, Barcelona will take on Atletico Madrid shortly after their recent La Liga clash. Barcelona emerged victorious with a 2-1 win in that encounter, extending their unbeaten streak to nine matches and maintaining a seven-point lead in the league.
Barcelona secured an 8-3 aggregate victory over Newcastle United in the previous round, netting 73 Champions League goals since Hansi Flick took charge, the highest among all teams. However, they have struggled defensively, failing to keep a clean sheet in their last 13 Champions League matches.
The upcoming match on Wednesday will mark the fifth European meeting between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, all occurring in the quarterfinals. Atletico has never won an away Champions League match against Spanish opposition, with one draw and four losses in such encounters.
