Arne Slot's side finish top of Champions League table despite having 100 per cent record ended
2024/2025 UEFA Champions League
3-2
Match Events
0' The match is about to start!
5' Liverpool's first attempt comes from Chiesa and it's heading for the roof
16' Saibari has a shot but it's well saved by the keeper
19' Joey Veerman has a free-kick over the bar
28' Gakpo puts Liverpool ahead from the spot! PSV 0-1 Liverpool
35' Bakayoko chops round a defender to score the equalizer! PSV 1-1 Liverpool
40' Elliott nets the rebound from Chiesa's snatched shot! PSV 1-2 Liverpool
45' Veerman tees it up for Saibar and we're back level! PSV 2-2 Liverpool
51' Ricardo Pepi slots into the bottom corner! PSV 3-2 Liverpool
51' Gakpo makes way for Morton and receives a standing ovation from both sets of fan
61' Chiesa can't get an effort on target
64' Roberson subs off and Nyoni is on to replace him
74' Saibari has the chance but Morton makes a brilliant block to deny him
Match Report
Liverpool's perfect run in this Champions League campaign came to an end with a 3-2 defeat at PSV - but Barcelona's draw at home to Atalanta meant Arne Slot's side finished the league phase in top spot.
With twists and turns further down the table on Wednesday, Liverpool will face either PSG, Benfica, Monaco or Brest in the last 16, once those sides have gone through the play-offs.
Few will want to play Liverpool on the basis of their league-phase performances - although nine changes for this final fixture, including nights off for Mohamed Salah, Alisson, Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold and more regulars, gave their Dutch hosts a helping hand.
PSV capitalised and can look forward to a play-off against either Feyenoord or Juventus for a last-16 spot of their own.
Cody Gakpo, back playing against his former club, dispatched an early penalty after Federico Chiesa was brought down, and Harvey Elliott looked to have Liverpool in control heading into the break when he put away the follow-up to a saved Chiesa shot, after Johan Bakayoko's fine equaliser.
But Ismael Saibari smashed in from a tight angle and Ricardo Pepi converted from close-range to flip the match around.
The second half was far less thrilling, with the back and forth in Barcelona drawing attention and switching Liverpool from first to second and up again in the live table. Tyler Morton produced a super tackle to deny Saibari and gave Liverpool hope of preserving an unbeaten record but when 18-year-old Amara Nallo was sent off just four minutes into his senior debut for a last-man foul on Bakayoko the result was sealed.
That won't worry Slot, though. It's mission complete for his Liverpool team in this phase of the competition. Their fight on four fronts continues, with attention switching to Saturday's tricky 3pm Premier League trip to Bournemouth while they await their Champions League knockout opponents and pathway to be revealed in the upcoming draws.
Line-ups
PSV XI: Walter Benítez, Karsdorp, Olivier Boscagli, Mauro Júnior, Armando Obispo, Guus Til, Joey Veerman, Ricardo Pepi, Ismael Saibari, Johan Bakayoko, Tygo Land
Subs: Luuk de Jong, Joël Drommel, Richard Ledezma, Couhaib Driouech, Adamo Nagalo, Isaac Babadi, Niek Schiks, Tai Abed, Wessel Kuhn
Liverpool XI: Endo, Robertson, Tsimikas, Kelleher, Gakpo, Chiesa, Elliott, Quansah, Conor Bradley, James McConnell, Jayden Danns
Subs: Jaros, Harvey Davies, Morton, James Norris, Isaac Mabaya, Trent Kone-Doherty, Trey Nyoni, Kieran Morrison, Amara Nallo