Image Credits: Imago Images
PSG prepared for the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie with Liverpool in the best possible way on Friday night.
The reigning European champions strolled to a 3-1 win over Toulouse upon the return of domestic football, moving four points clear at the top of Ligue 1.
Luis Enrique’s side did this despite the Spaniard taking three key players out of his starting eleven, with one eye on keeping them fit for Liverpool’s visit to Parc des Princes on Wednesday.
Midfield pair Vitinha and Joao Neves started the game on the bench and came on as second-half substitutes.
Nuno Mendes, who is regarded as one of the best left-backs in world football, was also rested from the start but other certain names on the team sheet for Wednesday such as Achraf Hakimi, Kvicha Kvaratskhelia and Ousmane Dembele player the full 90 minutes.
PSG goalkeeper Matvei Safonov made an error in the only goal that PSG did concede on the night, but Luis Enrique is to keep the faith in the goalkeeper with him set to start against Liverpool.
Whilst PSG were busy exerting their dominance on the league table, Liverpool’s season took another blow as they were dismantled by Manchester City in the FA Cup.
Many questions and concerns have been aired since that defeat, with Virgil van Dijk admitting that Liverpool ‘gave up’ throughout periods of the game and Dominik Szoboszlai admitting that the Reds are currently not showing enough fighting spirit or mentality.
With confidence knocked and self-belief in tatters, Liverpool now face the daunting task of rocking up to Paris and putting up a tremendous fight.
Luis Enrique’s side have never looked stronger and have built on their success of last year as they close in on back-to-back Ligue 1 and potentially even Champions League titles.
To deepen Liverpool’s woes, it was confirmed towards the end of March that Ligue 1 had accepted PSG’s request to postpone their top-of-the-table clash against Lens which sat in between their two-legged tie with Liverpool.
That will provide the French side with more rest in between the two games, whereas Liverpool will face Fulham over the weekend.
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