{"id":237540,"date":"2026-04-08T21:19:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-08T21:19:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/08\/superstar-benched-as-reigning-champs-put-reds-on-the-brink-spanish-giants-stunned-cl-wrap\/"},"modified":"2026-04-08T21:19:00","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T21:19:00","slug":"superstar-benched-as-reigning-champs-put-reds-on-the-brink-spanish-giants-stunned-cl-wrap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/08\/superstar-benched-as-reigning-champs-put-reds-on-the-brink-spanish-giants-stunned-cl-wrap\/","title":{"rendered":"Superstar benched as reigning champs put Reds on the brink; Spanish giants stunned – CL Wrap"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scored the goals to give a dominant Paris Saint-Germain a 2-0 win over Liverpool in their Champions League quarter-final first leg on Wednesday, as the holders seized a clear advantage to take to Anfield for next week\u2019s return.<\/p>\n

Doue\u2019s shot in the 11th minute looped over goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili and in thanks to a big touch off Ryan Gravenberch, and Kvaratskhelia then rounded his compatriot to double PSG\u2019s lead 65 minutes into a game they bossed from start to finish.<\/p>\n

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It only remains to be seen whether the reigning European champions — who had a second-half penalty in their favour overturned after a VAR review — might regret not scoring more goals against a Liverpool side who lined up with three centre-backs, an extreme rarity for them under Arne Slot, and were run ragged.<\/p>\n

The game plan could not stop the Reds slumping to a second emphatic loss in five days, even if the scoreline was not as bad as the 4-0 mauling inflicted by Manchester City in the FA Cup quarter-finals last weekend.<\/p>\n

It is just one win in six games in all competitions now for Liverpool, and this was a 16th reverse in total in a difficult campaign.<\/p>\n

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Liverpool’s Dutch manager Arne Slot reacts after losing the UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg.<\/span>Source: AFP<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Slot\u2019s team must now try to repeat what they did in the last 16, when they overturned a 1-0 first-leg loss away to Galatasaray by winning 4-0 in the return.<\/p>\n

This will be a far tougher task than that, however, as the sides clash again next Tuesday on Merseyside, where PSG won 1-0 in the second leg of their last-16 tie last season before advancing on penalties.<\/p>\n

That was a big step on their way to winning the Champions League for the first time, and came after they somehow lost 1-0 at the Parc des Princes despite completely dominating.<\/p>\n

A string of Alisson Becker saves helped Liverpool smash and grab their way to victory a year ago, but the Brazilian was absent here meaning Mamardashvili started in goal for the visitors.<\/p>\n

READ MORE<\/b><\/p>\n

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Paris’ players celebrate their victory at the end of the UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg.<\/span>Source: AFP<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

– Salah left on bench –<\/b><\/p>\n

Mohamed Salah was also left out of the line-up by Slot, instead taking a place on the bench alongside Alexander Isak with the Swede back involved again after suffering a leg fracture in December.<\/p>\n

Hugo Ekitike started up front for Liverpool against the club where he spent 18 months earlier in his career and failed to escape the shadows of Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Neymar.<\/p>\n

Joe Gomez slotted in alongside Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk as a third central defender, as Liverpool set out to press high but ultimately spent the night chasing after the ball.<\/p>\n

PSG were already well in control before they scored, as Doue collected the ball just outside the box following an Ousmane Dembele dribble, advanced into the area and tried a shot which struck Gravenberch\u2019s boot and took a looping trajectory which left the goalkeeper flummoxed.<\/p>\n

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Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah runs along the touch line during the UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg.<\/span>Source: AFP<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Mamardashvili did later save from Kvaratskhelia and Doue meaning there was just one goal in a one-sided first half in which PSG had 70 per cent possession and Liverpool\u2019s only attempt came from Jeremie Frimpong when he was offside.<\/p>\n

The pattern of the contest did not really change after the break, with Dembele blazing over from a great position before the second goal arrived almost midway through the second half.<\/p>\n

A superb threaded Joao Neves pass released Kvaratskhelia through the inside-left channel, and the Georgian held off Gravenberch before going around the goalkeeper to tuck in.<\/p>\n

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Paris Saint-Germain’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia celebrates scoring his team’s second goal.<\/span>Source: AFP<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Liverpool were then rescued by the Spanish referee\u2019s decision to change his mind after initially awarding a penalty when Konate brought down Warren Zaire-Emery, while also taking the ball.<\/p>\n

Small mercies for Slot, who sent on Isak in a quadruple substitution on 78 minutes, but left Salah on the bench.<\/p>\n

Dembele hit the post late on for PSG, although they are firmly in control after a ninth win in a game against Premier League opposition since the start of last year.<\/p>\n

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Irankunda scores & Toure notches assists | 00:55<\/p>\n

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ATLETICO STUN 10-MAN BARCA<\/b><\/p>\n

Julian Alvarez and Alexander Sorloth\u2019s goals earned Atletico Madrid a commanding 2-0 lead over 10-man Barcelona in a tense Champions League quarter-final first leg clash on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

The La Liga leaders were on top in the all-Spanish tie at Camp Nou before Pau Cubarsi was sent off for bringing down Atletico\u2019s Giuliano Simeone, who was through on goal.<\/p>\n

Alvarez whipped home the free-kick and Sorloth doubled their advantage with 20 minutes remaining to give Atletico a strong chance of reaching the semi-finals.<\/p>\n

Diego Simeone\u2019s side, who have never won the competition, reached the 2014 and 2016 finals but were beaten by rivals Real Madrid on both occasions.<\/p>\n

Barca, semi-finalists last season, need to make a huge comeback next Tuesday in Madrid if they are to stand a chance of lifting the trophy they last won in 2015.<\/p>\n

Atletico knocked Barca out of the Copa del Rey in the semi-finals in March and this was the second of three meetings between the sides in a space of a fortnight.<\/p>\n

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Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal reacts after the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal first leg.<\/span>Source: AFP<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Barcelona started well with Marcus Rashford, on loan from Manchester United, their main threat down the left.<\/p>\n

On the right flank Atletico tried to suffocate teenage star Lamine Yamal with defensive numbers, allowing Rashford more room.<\/p>\n

The first chances fell to the England international, who scored against Atletico in La Liga on Saturday, but Musso denied him.<\/p>\n

At the other end Alvarez, who has been linked with a switch to Barcelona in recent months, tested Joan Garcia.<\/p>\n

The busy Rashford, constantly escaping beyond Nahuel Molina, volleyed narrowly wide and then rolled a shot into the bottom corner but it was disallowed for offside against Yamal in the build-up.<\/p>\n

Even though the 18-year-old was up against three Atletico defenders he produced some superb skill to break free of their shackles, but Robin Le Normand blocked his shot.<\/p>\n

Veteran Atletico midfielder Koke was fortunate to stay on the pitch after fouls on Dani Olmo, Pedri and Yamal were only punished with a yellow card, to Barca supporters\u2019 fury.<\/p>\n

Hansi Flick\u2019s side were controlling the game with Atletico talisman Antoine Griezmann quiet against his former team, but a moment of clumsiness from Cubarsi dramatically gave the visitors the upper hand before half-time.<\/p>\n

The 19-year-old centre-back, chasing Giuliano Simeone as he ran through on goal to reach a ball in behind Barca\u2019s defence from Alvarez, clattered the Atletico coach\u2019s son from behind.<\/p>\n

Although referee Istvan Kovacs only produced a yellow card for Cubarsi, he upgraded it to a red after a VAR review.<\/p>\n

Worse was to come for Barca, with former Manchester City striker Alvarez whipping the free-kick into the top corner.<\/p>\n

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Atletico Madrid players react at the end of the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal first leg.<\/span>Source: AFP<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

– Sorloth doubles down –<\/b><\/p>\n

Barca coach Flick took action at half-time, withdrawing the quiet Robert Lewandowski and the booked Pedri for energetic midfield tandem Gavi and Fermin Lopez.<\/p>\n

It helped the hosts continue to battle well with 10 men, as Barca kept generating chances for Rashford. Yamal sent the forward through on goal but after rounding Musso could only hit the side netting.<\/p>\n

Le Normand brought down Yamal on the edge of the box and Rashford\u2019s free-kick was tipped over by Musso.<\/p>\n

It was against the run of play again that Atletico snatched their second. Griezmann and Matteo Ruggieri combined and the latter crossed for target man Sorloth, who outmuscled Gerard Martin and fired past the helpless Garcia.<\/p>\n

Musso later saved from Joao Cancelo and Yamal, but Barca could not pull a goal back, leaving the five-time winners in a tough spot ahead of the second leg next Tuesday.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scored the goals to give a dominant Paris Saint-Germain a 2-0 win over Liverpool in their Champions League quarter-final first leg on Wednesday, as the holders seized a clear advantage to take to Anfield for next week\u2019s return. Doue\u2019s shot in the 11th minute looped over goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":237541,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6807],"tags":[39881,2228,8748,12716,756,22960,1192,71795,8569,85,1429,34661,52497,52505,149,726,3311,53836,71792,71791,71790,58410,866,1070,58943,32091,71788,358,5962,1415,2232,71789,71793,1427,71758,3153,1332,854,5978,3143,7486,26859,5910,50444,17497,8868,54674,71794,2457,2902,20688,10595,54073,1337,3150,3236],"class_list":{"0":"post-237540","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-leagues-cups","8":"tag-11-mohamed-salah","9":"tag-agence-france-presse","10":"tag-alexander-isak","11":"tag-alisson-becker","12":"tag-atletico-madrid","13":"tag-central-defender","14":"tag-champions-league","15":"tag-defensive-numbers","16":"tag-egyptian-striker","17":"tag-england","18":"tag-europe","19":"tag-fermin-lopez","20":"tag-five-time-winners","21":"tag-flick","22":"tag-football-news","23":"tag-france","24":"tag-game-plan","25":"tag-gerard-martin","26":"tag-giuliano-simeone","27":"tag-inside-left-channel","28":"tag-istvan-kovacs","29":"tag-joan-garcia","30":"tag-joe-gomez","31":"tag-julian-alvarez","32":"tag-leg-clash","33":"tag-leg-football","34":"tag-leg-fracture","35":"tag-lionel-messi","36":"tag-madrid","37":"tag-manchester-city-football-club","38":"tag-manchester-united-football-club","39":"tag-nahuel-molina","40":"tag-night-chasing","41":"tag-northern-europe","42":"tag-notches-assistsfootball","43":"tag-paris","44":"tag-paris-saint-germain","45":"tag-premier-league","46":"tag-province-of-madrid","47":"tag-real-madrid-c-f","48":"tag-reigning-champs","49":"tag-reigning-european-champions","50":"tag-robert-lewandowski","51":"tag-robin-le-normand","52":"tag-scores-winner","53":"tag-second-half-penalty","54":"tag-side-netting","55":"tag-sides-clash","56":"tag-southern-europe","57":"tag-spain","58":"tag-target-man","59":"tag-teenage-star","60":"tag-touch-line","61":"tag-virgil-van-dijk","62":"tag-western-europe","63":"tag-yellow-card"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/237540","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=237540"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/237540\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/237541"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=237540"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=237540"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=237540"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}