Why Mohamed Salah, Ousmane Dembélé Will Spark PSG-Liverpool Tie, per Expert | OneFootball

Paris Saint-Germain will face Premier League leaders Liverpool in the Round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League. PSG easily advanced past Stade Brestois with a commanding 10-0 aggregate win in the knockout play-off round, but now they’re up against a much tougher challenge.

Following Friday’s draw, Marquinhos, who played against Liverpool in the 2018 group stage, shared his thoughts on the matchup in an interview with PSG TV.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot also expressed his excitement about facing the Ligue 1 side in an interview with the club’s official website.

Expert weighs in on Liverpool-PSG Round of 16 tie

Justin Setterfield/Getty Images

While speaking on After Foot RMC, ESPN’s Julien Laurens explained why the key matchup in this tie will be between Ousmane Dembélé and Mohamed Salah.

“I think it’s going to be exceptional,” Laurens said (h/t Le10Sport). “Both in terms of the atmosphere in the two stadiums and what the two teams will be able to offer. On one side, you have Mo Salah, who is on fire right now.

“He already has 22 goals and 15 assists in the league. On the other side, there’s Dembélé. If he keeps up what we’ve seen since mid-December, it’s going to be amazing to see these two players leading their teams.

“There’s a contrast in the intensity of the two teams. It’s slightly different: PSG has more of a possession-based approach, while Arne Slot at Liverpool is still focusing more on verticality like Klopp did before.”

The first leg will take place on March 4 at the Parc des Princes, with the return leg on March 11 at Anfield. PSG will need to capitalize on their home advantage, while the young squad must be ready to handle the pressure away if they hope to advance.