**Mohamed Salah Falls Short as Liverpool Narrowly Defeat PSG in Champions League Encounter**
Mohamed Salah is often a player who can change the course of a match with his brilliance, but in Liverpool’s recent Champions League clash against Paris Saint-Germain, the Egyptian forward struggled to make an impact. The match, which ended goalless at the time of writing, saw Salah unable to replicate the form that has made him a strong contender for the Ballon d’Or this season.
Salah has previously acknowledged the importance of patience and timing in his game, advice he took to heart from Arsène Wenger. However, against PSG, those qualities seemed to elude him. Liverpool’s goalkeeper, Alisson Becker, emerged as the hero of the night with a series of crucial saves that kept the Premier League side in contention. Meanwhile, Salah found himself overshadowed by the lively performances of PSG’s attacking trio—Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Bradley Barcola, and Ousmane Dembélé—who posed a constant threat to Liverpool’s defense.
The 2024/25 season has been a phenomenal one for Salah, who has already amassed 52 goal contributions, scoring 30 goals and providing 22 assists in just 39 appearances. Yet, his display at the Parc des Princes was a far cry from his usual standards. As the match approached the 80-minute mark, Salah had failed to produce any moments of magic, appearing uncharacteristically subdued and ineffective. His performance was reflected in the statistics, which painted a grim picture: no shots attempted, none of his eight ground duels won, and zero successful dribbles out of four attempts.
Salah’s overall involvement was limited, with just 37 touches and 14 instances of losing possession. While he did complete 17 out of 19 passes with an 89% accuracy rate and made a solitary interception, these contributions were minimal compared to his usual influence. Considering his struggles throughout the match, a rating of 6/10 seemed rather generous.
Liverpool’s manager, Arne Slot, will undoubtedly expect a much-improved performance from his star forward when the team returns to Anfield for their Premier League fixture against Southampton on March 8. However, even more critical will be Salah’s form in the second leg of the Champions League tie against PSG, scheduled just three days later. With Liverpool’s progression hanging in the balance, the team will need Salah at his very best to overcome a formidable PSG side.
The question now is whether Salah can rediscover his form and deliver a match-winning performance on home turf. With the stakes higher than ever, Liverpool’s hopes of advancing in the Champions League may well depend on their talisman rising to the occasion.
