UEFA Champions League
Winner of PSG’s Liverpool clash will reach Champions League final says Luis Enrique
Paris Saint-Germain boss Luis Enrique believes the winner of his team’s last 16 clash with Liverpool on Tuesday will go on to reach the final of the UEFA Champions League.
PSG face the Premier League leaders in the second leg at Anfield with the daunting task of having to overturn a 1-0 deficit from the first meeting in Paris.
Luis Enrique’s men delivered a dominant display at the Parc des Princes, but were unable to find a way past inspired Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker.
Liverpool’s quality remains clear to the former Barcelona boss despite that spluttering display from the Reds and he is convinced whoever finishes victorious this week is certain to play in May 31’s final in Munich.
“Even though we’re trailing from the first leg, we will be playing our own game from the outset. Regardless of the result in Paris we wouldn’t do anything different,” he told reporters on Monday.
“Our only option is to go out and win and that is what is driving us. I don’t think Arne Slot has much doubts about our starting line-up, I’ve got my ideas about his starting line-up as well.
“I’m not going to give away who we are going to play or how we are going to play, but we will see two of the best teams in Europe, two contenders for the final and whoever goes through will go through to the final.”
Enrique is confident the Ligue 1 leaders can cope with the intense environment at Anfield, a stadium famous for Liverpool supporters generating a hostile atmosphere on big European nights.
“I am pretty convinced that absolutely every single one of my players will want to play,” he said.
“We know what Liverpool means with a historic stadium and a wonderful history. It’s a huge source of motivation for the players and we want to show we are capable of putting in a performance.
“It is difficult to manage one’s emotions and feelings, these are not easy games to prepare for and it is not easy to be at 100 per cent.
“But you don’t want to be at 105 or 110 per cent because you could get carried away so you have to manage your emotions in the best possible way.”
PSG lost on their only previous trips to Anfield in 1997 and 2018, but winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is not concerned by the prospect of playing in such an intimidating arena.
“When you play at Anfield against Liverpool you don’t need to motivate yourself that much, you already have it inside you,” the Georgia attacker said.
“The game will be 50-50. We have a big mentality in the team and we will just try to win. r
“It will be the most important game in our season because our goal is to play in the Champions League many times and play in the final.”
-AFP
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Arsenal’s Premier League title challenge looks shot and injuries still hamstring them but Champions League glory is within reach, according to former great Thierry Henry.
Arsenal obliterated PSV Eindhoven 7-1 away on Tuesday in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 clash and all but guaranteed a quarter-final meeting with either holders Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid next month.
Jurrien Timber, scorer of Arsenal’s opening goal, said before the trip to the Netherlands that it was a chance for Mikel Arteta’s side to change the narrative after a disappointing run of form in the Premier League.
And the dazzling display at the Philips Stadion certainly did that as Arsenal made a massive statement of intent.
Henry, Arsenal’s all-time leading goal scorer who played in the 2006 Champions League final defeat by Barcelona, believes that the title race being virtually over will allow the London club to focus squarely on Europe.
“Yes, they can (win the Champions League),” Henry told CBS Sports Golazo. “I do believe that, this is why I called it.
“I’m just saying now, show us that you can do that against a good team, with people that are coming back.
“No disrespect to Eindhoven, I really thought it was going to be difficult, especially away from home but they made it look easy. I think they had an outstanding game.”
Arsenal would be at a slight disadvantage in the quarter-final with the home leg first, but Henry said the display against PSV should fill them with confidence.
“We all know that the (Premier) League is over. Apart from if something crazy happens but what I’m trying to say is that this game can help maybe to be confident in this competition and the game that you have after, Real Madrid or Atletico,” the Frenchman said.
“Sometimes I think the path to the final can at times help or not, but if you want to win the competition you have to go through these teams.”
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Following is the possible lineup for the Champions League last 16 ahead of Friday’s draw:
* Paris St Germain or Benfica will face Liverpool or Barcelona.
* Club Brugge or Borussia Dortmund will face Aston Villa or Lille.
* Bayern Munich or Real Madrid will face Atletico Madrid or Bayer Leverkusen.
* PSV Eindhoven or Feyenoord will face Inter Milan or Arsenal.
-Reuters
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Atalanta striker Ademola Lookman said his coach Gian Piero Gasperini’s comments describing him as “one of the worst penalty takers” he had ever seen after Tuesday’s Champions League exit were “deeply disrespectful” and hurtful.
Belgian side Club Brugge stunned Atalanta 3-1 in the second leg of their playoff tie to dump the Italian side out with a 5-2 aggregate win and reach the last 16.
Lookman pulled back one goal for Atalanta when they were 3-0 down. But the Nigerian, who has scored 15 times this season, had a penalty saved as they crashed out, after which Gasperini said Lookman was not supposed to take the penalty.
“Being singled out in the manner I have been not only hurts but feels deeply disrespectful, not least because of the immense hard work and commitment I have always put in each and every day to help bring success to this club and to the incredible fans of Bergamo,” Lookman wrote on Instagram.
“In truth, I have dealt with many difficult moments during my time here – the majority of which I have never spoken about because in my opinion the team must always be protected and must come first.
“This makes what happened last night even more hurtful. Along with our incredible fans, we as a team are hurting too with last night’s result.
“During the match the designated penalty taker instructed me to take the penalty; and to support the team I took responsibility in the moment to do so. Life’s about challenges and turning pain into power which I’ll continue to do.”
Gasperini said Lookman has a “terrible record even in training”, adding that Mateo Retegui and Charles De Ketelaere were better options to take the spot kick.
Lookman was Atalanta’s hero last season when they won the Europa League, netting a hat-trick in the final when they beat Bayer Leverkusen who had been undefeated all season.
-Reuters
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