Ousmane Dembele scored twice as Paris St-Germain beat Liverpool to book their place in the semi-finals of the Champions League, where either Bayern Munich or Real Madrid await Luis Enrique’s side.
PSG came into the second leg with a two-goal advantage but were made to work at a raucous Anfield until Dembele scored in the 72nd minute with a wonderful left-footed finish. In added time, the Ballon d’Or winner added a second.
Buoyed by the crowd, Liverpool huffed and puffed in their quest to pull off another memorable European comeback, but Arne Slot’s side failed to score against the holders of the Champions League and, for the second season in a row, they have been knocked out by PSG.
After their feeble display in Paris last week, where they lost 2-0, Liverpool were much better against the French side at Anfield and asked questions, but ultimately it wasn’t enough.
Slot opted to give Alexander Isak his first start since December and left Mohamed Salah on the bench again, but Salah was introduced on the half-hour mark after Hugo Ekitike was forced off with what looked like a worrying injury.
It was the visitors who threatened more in the first half, with Giorgi Mamardashvili making saves to deny Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Dembele.
Dembele wasted a glorious opportunity when he blazed over with only the keeper to beat. At the other end, Marquinhos made a stunning challenge to deny Liverpool a goal.
Slot made a double substitution at the break, taking off Isak for Cody Gakpo and Jeremie Frimpong for Joe Gomez, and Liverpool started the second half on the front foot but failed to make it count.
In the 65th minute, they were awarded a penalty when Alexis Mac Allister fell down after a challenge by Willian Pacho, but after the video assistant referee (VAR) intervened, the referee Maurizio Mariani overturned the decision.
Seven minutes later, Kvaratskhelia found Dembele, who beat Mamardashvili with pace and power from 20 yards out to put the tie to bed.
And as Anfield emptied out, Dembele tapped in from close range after he was teed up by Bradley Barcola.
Defeat for Liverpool means they will end the season without silverware and it remains to be seen whether they will qualify for Champions League football next season.
