Enrique's UCL prediction speaks volumes after heartbreaking Liverpool defeat

Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique remained confident his team can overcome Liverpool at Anfield, but he appreciated it won't be easy.

The French champions dominated proceedings at the Parc des Princes in their Champions League round of 16 first leg tie. They came up against a goalkeeper in inspired form, though, with Alisson denying them time after time before super-sub Harvey Elliott completed a smash-and-grab for the Premier League leaders.

PSG had a Khvicha Kvaratskhelia goal disallowed for a narrow offside and saw Joao Neves and Bradley Barcola squander big chances in the first period. Ultimately, though, they were unable to find a way through, with Arne Slot's visitors ending Les Parisiens' 10-game winning run.

Liverpool have lost just once at home this season, all the way back in September. Nottingham Forest were the team to upset them, but Luis Enrique saw enough in the first leg to feel his team can do the business on Merseyside.

"My feelings right now [are] it's difficult to think about the match in a positive way because I think we deserved to win, clearly," the former Barcelona boss told TNT Sports. "I think it's one of the best matches in the Champions League that we did this season and already last year, and when you think the best player of Liverpool was their goalkeeper Alisson - okay, football is many times unfair and we have to accept that. But we are ready [to go to] Liverpool.

"We have nothing to lose," he continued. "Liverpool is the best team in Europe [this] year and today they created one or two chances maximum and we created a lot. I'm very proud of my players, my team, the supporters, and i think that's the key moving forward."

He argued PSG gave Liverpool the kind of challenge they hadn't faced before under Arne Slot, suggesting his team can take plenty of positivity into the second leg. When asked if they can still progress, he smiled and said: "Of course! We are going to do it."

PSG midfielder Vitinha also believed his team has the quality to make amends at Anfield. “We will show the team we are, we will show our character”, the Portugal international told Canal+ (via GFFN).

“We’re going to win there. With the match we played, the victory was more than deserved. Like at the start of the season, we had lots of opportunities, but we failed to score.”

Whoever progresses from the round of 16 tie will take on either Aston Villa or Club Brugge in the quarter-finals. Villa hold the upper hand after the third leg, winning 3-1 in Belgium with Leon Bailey and Marco Asensio netting either side of a Brandon Mechele own goal.