Ousmane Dembélé netted two crucial late goals as Paris Saint-Germain eliminated Liverpool with a convincing 4-0 aggregate score in the Champions League quarter-finals.
Liverpool aimed for a memorable comeback at Anfield after suffering a 2-0 defeat in the first leg, but their best opportunity vanished when a penalty awarded midway through the second half was rescinded following a VAR review.
Ballon d’Or recipient Dembélé, who had squandered multiple chances in the previous leg and missed two opportunities in the first half at Anfield, ensured there would be no dramatic twist.
The France striker calmly placed a low left-footed shot from the edge of the box past goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili in the 72nd minute, bringing silence to the home crowd and relieving PSG’s anxiety.
His second goal came at the end of a well-structured attack during injury time, driving a precise shot into the bottom corner.
As defending champions, PSG will now face either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich in the semifinals, with the German side currently ahead 2-1 from their first leg in Munich.
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Under Luis Enrique’s management, PSG aims to become only the second club to defend the Champions League title since Real Madrid achieved the feat three times in a row from 2016 to 2018.
PSG has now won five consecutive matches against English teams in Champions League knockout rounds, including last season’s round of 16 victory over Liverpool.
Meanwhile, Liverpool must secure a spot in the Premier League top five to guarantee a return to Europe’s top competition next season and salvage a disappointing campaign.
The six-time champions are familiar with comebacks in European competition. They were once 3-0 down to AC Milan in the 2005 final, only to win on penalties, and in 2019, they overturned a 3-0 deficit against Barcelona to win 4-0 and lift the trophy.
Notably, Anfield is known for its electrifying atmosphere, particularly on European nights. The PSG team bus was welcomed with red flares as it approached the stadium, but inside, PSG fans matched the home support in volume, often out-singing them.
It wasn’t until the second half that Liverpool fans truly believed in a potential comeback, especially when the referee, Maurizio Mariani, pointed to the penalty spot following a foul by Willian Pacho on Alexis Mac Allister shortly after the hour mark.
With the score still at 0-0, this was their moment to increase the pressure. However, celebration quickly turned to disappointment when the penalty was overturned after VAR review.
Dembélé’s first goal followed shortly after, as he took his time to find the right angle before finding the back of the net.
With the tie effectively decided, PSG fans took over the atmosphere, celebrating louder when Dembélé added another goal.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.