Dembélé double sends PSG past Liverpool and into Champions League semis

Liverpool Eliminated From Champions League as Dembélé Double Seals PSG’s Emphatic Triumph

Liverpool’s Champions League campaign came to a painful end on Tuesday night as Paris Saint-Germain cruised into the semifinals with a 2-0 victory at Anfield, completing a commanding 4-0 aggregate win over the six-time European champions. Ousmane Dembélé, the reigning Ballon d’Or winner, scored twice in the second half to extinguish any hopes of a famous comeback, leaving manager Arne Slot facing fierce criticism over his team selection.espn

Dembélé Strikes Again at Anfield

PSG controlled much of the contest, and while Liverpool enjoyed spells of pressure — particularly in the opening 20 minutes of the second half — it was Dembélé who proved decisive for a second consecutive season at Anfield. The Frenchman latched onto a pass from Bradley Barcola in the 72nd minute and curled a left-footed shot into the bottom corner from 20 yards, effectively killing the tie. He then completed his brace in stoppage time, slotting home another Barcola cross to rubber-stamp PSG’s passage. The defending champions will now face either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich in the last four as they chase back-to-back titles.channelnewsasia

Slot Under Fire for “Complete Nonsense” Lineup

The heaviest scrutiny fell on Slot’s decision to start Alexander Isak, who had been sidelined since December with a broken ankle and fibula and had only returned as a substitute in the first leg. Isak touched the ball just five times in 45 minutes before being replaced at halftime by Cody Gakpo, while Mohamed Salah was left on the bench until Hugo Ekitike was stretchered off with an injury in the first half. French football journalist Julien Laurens delivered a withering assessment on BBC Radio 5 Live: “That line-up to start was complete nonsense. It shouldn’t have been Isak starting — I can’t comprehend that decision. He made mistakes in the first leg regarding his lineup and once again, he let the team, the club, and the supporters down”.o-abroad

A Season Unraveling

The elimination leaves Liverpool without a realistic trophy to chase this season, having already exited the FA Cup and Carabao Cup. Slot, who defended his selection by noting Isak had played 88 minutes alongside Florian Wirtz and Ekitike prior to Tuesday, now faces mounting pressure with the club sitting fifth in the Premier League with six matches remaining. A Merseyside derby against Everton on Sunday looms as the next test for a manager whose European decisions have drawn repeated criticism across two legs that ended in identical 2-0 defeats.thairath