Liverpool staged an emphatic comeback against Galatasaray, overturning a 1-0 first-leg deficit to secure a Champions League quarter-final clash with Paris Saint-Germain. The victory establishes a high standard for the season ahead, as Arne Slot expressed confidence in repeating the performance against the formidable French side.

Rematch with PSG on the Horizon

PSG advanced by defeating Liverpool on penalties in the last-16 stage last season, en route to their first Champions League title. The upcoming ties mirror last year’s format, with the first leg at Parc des Princes and the return at Anfield.

Arne Slot highlighted PSG’s strength, stating, “When you get to the latter stages of the Champions League you know you will face PSG, they are an incredible team.” He recalled the challenging away fixture last season and Liverpool’s standout display at Anfield, describing it as “the best game I’ve managed in my career, even though we lost, in terms of how it was played with both teams playing football the way it should be played and wanting to entertain the fans.”

Slot noted Liverpool’s resilience last year as the only team to push PSG to extra time and penalties, adding, “This performance tonight gives me confidence we can have this performance again.”

Salah’s Resilience Shines Through

Mohamed Salah missed a penalty before halftime but rebounded strongly, becoming the first African player to reach 50 Champions League goals with a superb second-half finish. He also provided a key assist for Hugo Ekitike’s goal before requesting a substitution due to an injury concern ahead of Saturday’s match against Brighton.

Slot praised Salah’s mental fortitude, saying, “It says a lot about him that after he missed a penalty just before half-time, that can sometimes be hard for an individual and for a team, Mo and the team came out in the second half the way they did. He assisted Hugo [Ekitike], a great assist, and scored a trademark goal that he has scored so many times in this stadium and for this club, cutting inside, finding the top corner.”

The manager emphasized the collective response, stating, “That tells you a lot about his mental strength but definitely also of the team, because adversity is something we can definitely talk about in this season.”