There might not be a more difficult team to work out in European football right now than
UEFA Champions League holders
Paris Saint-Germain.
In many ways, they shouldn't be hard to figure out at all. They are locked in a rare title battle domestically and in Europe they failed to reach the top eight in the league phase, then were nearly knocked out by Ligue 1 rivals Monaco in the play-off round.
Even in the round of 16 against Chelsea, they were on the ropes for much of the first leg,
before The Blues completely imploded.
So, in theory,
Liverpool should feel relatively confident before their Champions League quarter-final clash with the Parisians this week.
But The Reds know better than anyone how PSG can turn it up and blow teams away - this is exactly the time last year when they kicked into top gear. So it feels important that Liverpool go into the game with a clear plan on how they can score goals.
With that in mind, we've watched through every Champions League goal that PSG have conceded in 2026. Here's what we learned and how Liverpool can hurt them.
Sporting CP 1-0 PSG (Luis Suarez, 74')
It's worth stating that before this goal,
Sporting had already been causing chaos for PSG. Twice they had got in behind Nuno Mendes at left-back and twice they had completely fluffed their lines. There was also a golden chance from a set-piece that PSG didn't defend properly that Sporting failed to take.
And it is from a set-piece that Sporting take the lead. Maxi Araujo fires an in-swinging corner in and it is cleared out of the box. Geny Catamo takes on an ambitious volley as it falls and - take a look at this picture - there doesn't appear to be a lot of threat.
There's Luis Suarez, who would score the goal.
Image credit: TNT Sports
However, the shot strikes Sporting defender Georgios Vagiannidis as it goes through, ricocheting to a suddenly wide open Luis Suarez, who gleefully fires home.
Sporting CP 2-1 PSG (Luis Suarez, 90')
For the winner, Francisco Trincao is given far too much time on the edge of the area and his shot from distance is not dealt with by Lucas Chevalier. Then Mendes lets Suarez get loose and the Colombian expertly directs a header into the far corner.
Not great all round, really.
'Surely they've won this' - Suarez fires Sporting ahead in the 90th minute in huge PSG upset
Video credit: TNT Sports
PSG 1-1 Newcastle (Chris Willock, 45+2')
This is also not ideal. We are 90 seconds away from half-time with PSG 1-0 up against
Newcastle and Eddie Howe's side have a free-kick near the centre circle.
Sandro Tonali floats the ball towards the box where Sven Botman gets on the end of it, flicking it back up in the air. While this has been happening, Dan Burn has peeled off unmarked and is able to head the ball back across goal.
There's Dan Burn, should someone not be closer to him?
Image credit: TNT Sports
Again, let's take a look at what we're seeing here. There are a lot of PSG players in this picture protecting their goal.
Dan Burn is about to head the ball. You can see how many PSG players there for Joe Willock to burst through
Image credit: TNT Sports
But they all switch off as Joe Willock charges in to head the ball home. This isn't a great look for a lot of players, particularly Mendes, who chooses to step back as Willock comes in.
‘Newcastle fans delighted’ – Willock brings Magpies level at PSG
Video credit: TNT Sports
AS Monaco 1-0 PSG (Folarin Balogun, 1')
A fast start from
Monaco completely catches PSG out. As Monaco break early, Marquinhos tries to step out to reach the ball-carrier. However, as you can see below, that has opened up a lane for Aleksandr Golovin to run into, which he does.
As Marquinhos steps, Aleksandr Golovin has space to run into
Image credit: TNT Sports
Achraf Hakimi is caught in no man's land and has to choose between going with Golovin or leaving him and going out to the wide player, Caio Henrique.
Achraf Hakimi is faced with a tough choice
Image credit: TNT Sports
He chooses to go to Henrique, who in turn has the easiest of passes to Golovin, who is now practically at the touchline. The Russian simply clips the ball to the back post where, impressively, Mendes has managed to lose not one but two Monaco players and Folarin Balogun heads home.
There are two free Monaco players at the back post, and one of them does score.
Image credit: TNT Sports
AS Monaco 2-0 PSG (Folarin Balogun, 18')
It is harder to be critical of this goal. A long ball is headed away by Marquinhos but straight to Golovin. He heads it forward to Balogun, who immediately lays it off to Maghnes Akliouche. Akliouche completes the one-two by sending Balogun clear on goal, and he calmly puts it past Chevalier.
If you're being critical of anyone, it's Marquinhos. His header isn't great, and he then breaks the line and runs back with Balogun, rather than hold and catch the striker offside. However, Monaco deserve a lot of credit for the speed with which they cut through their French rivals.
PSG in real trouble as Balogun doubles Monaco's lead inside 18 minutes
Video credit: TNT Sports
PSG 0-1 AS Monaco (Maghnes Akliouche, 45')
The more you watch this goal, the funnier it gets. Henrique turns Warren Zaire-Emery inside-out on Monaco's left and gets down the line to send a cross in. The delivery is somehow missed by both Hakimi and Joao Neves. Marquinhos tries to prevent a shot, but all he does is give a clear path for Mamadou Coulibaly to pass the ball to Akliouche.
At this stage would it surprise you to learn that Akliouche has got a yard on Mendes? He passes the ball into the goal and suddenly the tie is level just before half-time of the second leg.
WATCH: Champions in trouble? Akliouche draws Monaco level on aggregate with PSG
Video credit: TNT Sports
PSG 2-2 Monaco (Jordan Teze, 90+1')
This goal comes right at the end of the tie, with PSG two goals up on aggregate, so you can forgive the Parisians for switching off a little.
Simon Adingra bursts down the left-hand side for a late counter and his cross is only partially cleared by Willian Pacho. This time it is not Mendes who has lost his man but Lucas Hernandez, who is then powerless to stop Jordan Teze thumping home a consolation.
PSG 1-1 Chelsea (Malo Gusto, 28')
Bradley Barcola, what are you doing here? As Enzo Fernandez picks up the ball in the left half-space, Barcola completely switches off, allowing Malo Gusto to storm into the box. His shot is not the best and new goalkeeper Matvei Safonov makes a complete hash of it, but it could have all been avoided if Barcola had been alert.
Just look at how much space Malo Gusto has!
Image credit: TNT Sports
Barcola just stands there with his hands outstretched as if to say, "What are you guys doing?" Erm, Bradley, you may need to watch that one back.
Bradley, it was your man!
Image credit: TNT Sports
It is worth stating that this was smart from
Chelsea to create the space by dragging Mendes inside with Cole Palmer. By pulling the play nearly entirely over to the left-hand side of the pitch, it created the massive vortex for Gusto to exploit.
‘It has been coming!’ – Gusto draws Chelsea level in Paris
Video credit: TNT Sports
PSG 2-2 Chelsea (Enzo Fernandez, 57')
More sloppiness here. An overhit pass across the pitch finds its way to Desire Doue, but his casual control allows Pedro Neto to steal in. You know it's Fernandez who scores but this is where he is when Neto takes the ball.
Warren Zaire-Emery has a good beat on Enzo Fernandez but it ends up not mattering.
Image credit: TNT Sports
Look at the gap between him and the other player circled, Zaire-Emery. Fernandez gives everything to get into the box while Zaire-Emery jogs back. The result is that when Neto cuts the ball back it's Fernandez who is unmarked with the simplest of finishes.
What did we learn?
So what did we learn from watching all those goals? There is one clear pattern that emerges.
If you can get in behind PSG's full-backs, you can cause real problems for them, on either side. This is perhaps not new information given the attacking nature of both Hakimi and Mendes, plus the fact that because PSG play with a three-man midfield, there are often gaps for overlapping full-backs to exploit.
The issue for Slot is going to be how he lines his team up. The Dutchman has recently been trying to use more of a diamond, or 4-2-2-2, to get two strikers on the pitch and free the full-backs. Would that be enough to create the overloads out wide? That might be tricky. His more traditional 4-2-3-1 might be a better choice in this one.
It will be fascinating to see how Slot and Liverpool approach this game, with the first leg live on TNT Sports and
HBO Max on Wednesday, April 8.
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