Liverpool will travel to Parc des Princes in a state of flux. They are virtually out of contention for the Premier League title and have been eliminated from the FA Cup. Manager Arne Slot's future is uncertain, and star player Mohamed Salah's form has declined. Following the 0-4 loss to Man City in the FA Cup quarterfinals, captain Virgil van Dijk publicly criticized the team's spirit, admitting Liverpool had given up and apologizing to fans.

This situation contrasts sharply with the last time the two teams met in the Champions League round of 16 last season. Then, Liverpool was racing towards the Premier League championship, Arne Slot received widespread praise, and Salah was in peak form. Conversely, that was a period when Paris Saint-Germain struggled to get through the group stage, and coach Luis Enrique's tactics were questioned. Despite this, Paris Saint-Germain later defeated Liverpool in a penalty shootout at Anfield before going on to win their first Champions League title in history.

Coach Luis Enrique during the press conference before Paris Saint-Germain's first leg Champions League quarterfinal match against Liverpool on 7/4. Photo: Reuters

Ahead of the rematch, midfielder Vitinha dismissed the notion that Paris Saint-Germain are favorites over Liverpool. "The media calls us favorites, just as they did with Liverpool last year. However, Liverpool remains a big team with many quality players," the Portuguese midfielder stated.

Coach Luis Enrique also emphasized that the concept of a favorite does not exist in the Champions League knockout rounds. "If you recall last season, everyone thought Liverpool would advance, but Paris Saint-Germain was the team that went through. For me, no team is considered superior," the Spanish coach said.

Paris Saint-Germain is nearing the Ligue 1 title, while Liverpool sits fifth in the Premier League, 21 points behind league leaders Arsenal. Nevertheless, Enrique warned his players not to be complacent. "Liverpool is a top-tier team. Thinking you are the favorite is the best way to get yourself into trouble," he stated. "The important thing is to control what we can control and play with 100% effort."

Before the match, French media focused on Hugo Ekitike, the forward who will reunite with his former club wearing a Liverpool jersey. Joining Paris Saint-Germain at 19, he scored only four goals in 33 matches and could not secure a starting spot in a squad that included Kylian Mbappe, Neymar, and Lionel Messi.

Ekitike's career took a turn when he moved to Eintracht Frankfurt before joining Liverpool for 106 million USD. He has scored 17 goals this season and was called up to the French national team. Coach Enrique commented: "When he was at Paris Saint-Germain, he was very young. But after leaving, he improved significantly in Germany and England."

Hong Duy (according to ESPN)