Liverpool’s dramatic 1-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their Champions League round-of-16 tie has left football fans in disbelief.
Despite being outplayed for most of the match, the Reds managed to snatch victory in the dying moments, thanks to a stunning individual performance from goalkeeper Alisson Becker.
Alisson Becker Keeps PSG at Bay
The match, played at PSG’s Parc des Princes, saw the French side dominate proceedings from start to finish.
PSG fired off an incredible 27 shots, with 10 of those on target, but could not find the back of the net.
Alisson was in inspired form, making nine crucial saves to deny PSG, including four stops from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and denying both Ousmane Dembele and Desire Doue multiple times.
A first-half goal from Kvaratskhelia was ruled out for offside, and despite relentless pressure from PSG, Alisson stood tall to keep Liverpool in the game.
As the match seemed to be slipping away, Liverpool’s only shot on target of the night came in the 87th minute, with Harvey Elliott finding the net to give the Reds a priceless away goal.
Carragher Calls It One of the Biggest Robberies in Football
Speaking after the match, former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher could hardly believe what he had witnessed.
He described the result as “one of the biggest robberies you will ever see in football,” citing the sheer dominance of PSG throughout the game.
Carragher praised Alisson’s performance, calling it possibly the best of his career, particularly for Liverpool.
“This wasn’t just a save, this was the greatest performance of his career, certainly in a Liverpool shirt,” Carragher said. “If Liverpool go on to win the competition, that performance will be remembered for years to come.”
Thierry Henry Joins the Praise for Alisson
Carragher’s fellow pundit, Thierry Henry, also joined in lauding Alisson’s efforts, calling his performance “magnificent.”
Henry emphasized that while scoring goals is crucial, it was Alisson’s saves that kept Liverpool in the game.
He was especially impressed with some of the saves, remarking that “three of those should have been goals.”
“Alisson was magnificent tonight. If it wasn’t for him, Liverpool would have really struggled,” Henry added.
“I don’t remember many Champions League games where a goalkeeper has made saves like that.”
Alisson Reflects on His Best Performance
For his part, Alisson admitted that his performance against PSG was the “best of my life.”
His heroics ensured that Liverpool took a slender but crucial advantage into the second leg, giving them a strong chance of progressing to the Champions League quarter-finals.
Liverpool will now host PSG in the return leg on March 11, with Alisson’s incredible performance giving them a significant boost as they aim to finish the job and reach the next stage of Europe’s premier competition.