After a weekend FA Cup exit, Liverpool travel to Paris Saint-Germain for their Champions League quarter-final
Former French international Christophe Dugarry has suggested Liverpool's trip to Paris Saint-Germain could turn into a "massacre" and that Arne Slot's team will "arrive terrified". The reigning European champions are overwhelming favourites ahead of the quarter-final first leg in Paris, with Liverpool travelling to the Parc des Princes following Saturday's humiliating 4-0 FA Cup thrashing away at Manchester City.
The weekend reverse has intensified the pressure on Arne Slot, whose sole remaining chance of securing silverware this season depends on the Reds' Champions League run. Given the team's struggles this campaign, few anticipate Liverpool overcoming a side regarded as amongst Europe's elite.
Dugarry, part of France's 1998 World Cup-winning squad, is certainly predicting a lopsided contest. "It's going to be a walk in the park, honestly. Liverpool are disastrous," the former Birmingham City striker told RMC Sport.
"Fourteen wins, 10 losses, and 7 draws since the start of the season in the league. They're catastrophic."
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Dugarry continued: "I'm not going to say they have bad players, but they don't play together. In my opinion, the difference in level is colossal. I think PSG will wrap up the quarter-final in the first leg.
"Do you see Liverpool play? They have no legs, they have nothing. Technically, they have good players. They are not clumsy, but they play at two and a half miles an hour.
"When you see the intensity that Paris Saint-Germain manages to put in... it's going to be a massacre. Just think, they just conceded four against Manchester City, who we saw against Real Madrid. Momentum is important in the second half of the season," he added.
"They're scared. Every English team has been thrashed for about a year and a half. Now they're all afraid of Paris Saint-Germain. I guarantee you they'll arrive terrified."
Despite Dugarry's damning verdict, Liverpool boss Slot sees things rather differently. The Reds claimed victory at the Parc des Princes last season and, while PSG did go on to advance in the last-16 tie, the eventual winners needed a penalty shootout at Anfield to book their spot in the quarter-finals.
Even accounting for Liverpool's dip in form this campaign, Slot remains confident his squad can rediscover their best form. "We are really looking forward to playing again against a really good side, like we played today," he told TNT Sports after the Reds' defeat to City.
"It is not the only objective we have; we also want to qualify for the Champions League next season as well. So there is still a lot to play for.
"But in general, we feel we have had a lot of setbacks and disappointments. That is part of being a footballer and being a human being.
"It cannot always go positive, and you need to be there and stand up and that is what it is about now. Players that have shown so much quality in the past, now have a fantastic chance to show that against Paris Saint-Germain again."