Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma was the hero at Anfield as Paris Saint-Germain defeated Liverpool 1-0 in normal time and 4-1 on penalties to progress into the quarter-finals in the UEFA Champions League, Afrosport reports.
Donnarumma, who came under criticism for failing to keep out Harvey Elliot’s winner for Liverpool in the first leg, saved two penalties in the shoot-out after both sides settled for a 1-1 aggregate draw.
Dembélé inspires Paris 🔴🔵#UCL pic.twitter.com/e3DtR0zfOE
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) March 11, 2025
PSG came into the game needing a win, while Liverpool needed to avoid defeat to progress to the last eight, but Mohamed Salah squandered a huge chance to put the hosts ahead as his close-range strike was deflected over the bar by Nuno Mendes.
The visitors drew first blood as the in-form Ousmane Dembele put them ahead in the 12th minute with his seventh goal in the competition, tapping into an empty net after Ibrahima Konate’s sliding tackle took the ball away from Alisson.
Both sides continued trading blows in the first half with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Diogo Jota spurning really good chances to get on the scoresheet.
Liverpool were out of the blocks swiftly in the second half, with Dominik Szoboszlai and Luis Diaz coming close to levelling the scores, but a block from Willian Pacho and a save from Donnarumma kept them at bay.
Arne Slot’s men lost Trent Alexander-Arnold to injury, and his replacement, Jarell Quansah, almost found the back of the net, but his glancing header ricocheted off the post to the dismay of the home fans.
With the scores locked on aggregate after extra time, penalties were needed to settle the tie with Donnarumma putting his entire 6ft 5in frame to good use.
Paris beat Liverpool on penalties! Donnarumma saves two 😱#UCL pic.twitter.com/ChnnJepnQX
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) March 11, 2025
Vitinha scored PSG’s first spot-kick, but Salah responded with a brilliant penalty. Substitute Goncalo Ramos slotted home his kick before Donnarumma denied Darwin Nunez with a brilliant save to put PSG 2-1 up.
The Italy international once again guessed the right way to deny Curtis Jones after Dembele had converted his penalty. Desire Doue scored the final spot-kick for the Ligue 1 leaders, who ended Liverpool’s streak of advancing to the next round of a European knockout tie after winning the first leg away from home.
PSG will face the winner of the tie between Club Brugge and Aston Villa in the quarter-finals.
