Liverpool are out of the UEFA Champions League – and the pressure is now on to qualify for the competition next season.
Winning it was always going to be an unlikely route back in, but Liverpool have a history of defying logic and performing miracles.
This time, though, they were unable to produce another night at Anfield like the one when Barcelona came to town with a 3-0 lead and left with a 4-3 aggregate defeat.
Trailing Paris Saint-Germain by 2-0 from the first leg, they couldn’t overturn the deficit against the Champions League holders and in an evening of mixed fortunes, Ousmane Dembele struck twice late in the game to repeat the scoreline.
Liverpool did receive a significant boost with Alexander Isak making his first start in four months, on the back of two substitute appearances. Arne Slot admitted last summer’s marquee signing was only ready to play 45 minutes, and opted to field him in the first half, hoping he would make his mark and tilt the tie.
Isak failed to do that – he had only five touches and made three passes – but there were flashes of his threat and his inclusion in the starting line-up suggests he will be able to play a meaningful role in their remaining six league games.
Liverpool could certainly do with the Swede finding form and goals as they chase a top-five finish.
For now, things look relatively comfortable in the Premier League: they are fifth, four points clear of sixth-placed Chelsea. And while this has undoubtedly been a disappointing season – especially in the context of beginning it as reigning champions – they remain only three points behind Manchester United in third.
"It’s minimum standard for Liverpool to play in the Champions League," Ibrahima Konate told Amazon Prime.
"We have six games left and during these six games we have to give our all. We know how difficult it is but we have to give our all to get in the Champions League again."
The importance and complexity of the next six weeks cannot be underestimated.
Sunday’s Merseyside Derby was already huge but it carries added weight with Everton still clinging to hopes of a Champions League place themselves. A win for David Moyes' side, currently in eighth place, would move them to within two points of Liverpool.
Also on Amazon Prime, former Everton striker Wayne Rooney said the derby has come at a bad time for Slot and his players.
Liverpool's final four fixtures are a minefield of Man Utd, Chelsea, Aston Villa and Brentford – all teams in the top seven. Defeats in those matches will come with six-point swings.
It is a daunting path to navigate. Failure to qualify for the Champions League will have major implications for the summer and Liverpool's ability to reshape a squad capable of challenging for the title again.
Given the level Arsenal and Manchester City have reached this season that sounds, right now, like a tough proposition, but it will be the ambition of everyone around the club.
A year ago, Liverpool were striding away with the Premier League trophy and they will believe they can reach those heights again soon, even if they are losing the experience of Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson at the end of the season.
"The future looks really good," Slot insisted. "Especially if we can add a few signings after a few players leave us this summer."
Ekitike blow adds to Liverpool's woes
Just as one key striker was returning, another left the field on a stretcher.
The cause of the injury seemed fairly innocuous – Hugo Ekitike controlled the ball but slipped, and appeared in considerable pain on the ground. He was carried off, holding his head in his hands, with 30 minutes on the clock.
"We could all see it didn’t look good," Slot told Amazon Prime. "In the second half he went home so I haven’t seen him yet."
Konate added: "I’m very sad for him. I think it’s bad."
On came Salah for one of his final Anfield performances. Liverpool have only three more home games before he departs in the summer.
Salah almost had an immediate impact, his cross directed on target by Milos Kerkez, only for PSG goalkeeper Matvei Safonov to make a sharp save down low. Virgil Van Dijk was there for the rebound but Marquinhos somehow dived across to block. Van Dijk’s shot carried an XG of 0.84 – emphasising how incredible Marquinhos’ intervention was.
Liverpool had managed only one shot on target in the first half but Slot clearly instructed them to go for it after the break. According to Opta Joe on X, they ended the game with 21 shots – their most without scoring in the Champions League since losing to Real Madrid in the final in May 2022.
The Champions League had been the last ray of light for Liverpool supporters in an underwhelming campaign and there were brief moments when it looked like they would score the goal they desperately needed in the tie.
They produced four more shots on target and had a penalty awarded for a foul on Alexis Mac Allister, only for it to be overturned after a VAR check. But pushing that far forward left Liverpool exposed.
This PSG side are the sharpest in Europe and they finally burst the Anfield bubble with their first shot of the second half.
Dembele curled the ball low into the corner with 18 minutes remaining, and then finished off a rapid break to add his second goal in stoppage time and set the seal on Liverpool’s exit.
See: Liverpool report
Champions League quarter-finals
7 Apr
Real Madrid 1-2 Bayern Munich
Sporting 0-1 Arsenal
8 Apr
Barcelona 0-2 Atletico Madrid
Paris Saint-Germain 2-0 Liverpool
14 Apr
Liverpool 0-2 PSG (0-4 on aggregate)
Atletico 1-2 Barcelona (3-2 on aggregate)
15 Apr
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
Arsenal v Sporting