Liverpool will go into their Champions League quarter-final tie against Paris Saint-Germain as rank outsiders in the eyes of most neutrals (and possibly a lot of Reds fans, too), but one ex-LFC player has faith in his former club to dethrone the current holders of the trophy.
Both teams enjoyed comprehensive aggregate wins in the round of 16, but whereas PSG are on course to retain their Ligue 1 title, their opponents have been enduring a dismal domestic season which has seen Arne Slot come under ever-intensifying scrutiny.
1998 World Cup winner Christophe Dugarry believes Luis Enrique’s side could kill off the tie before they visit Anfield next week, but Vladimir Smicer is backing Liverpool to rip up the form book over the coming days.
Speaking exclusively to Empire of the Kop (in association with BetVictor) about the upcoming clash against PSG, the 2005 Champions League winner said: “I think, to be honest, last year we won 1-0 [away] and we were very lucky. Of course I’m supporting Liverpool. I think we will lose in Paris, but the goal difference won’t be big.
“I think we will lose 1-0 or 2-1, something like that. Paris look really strong at the moment, but we were qualified for a reason. I’m going for the second leg at Anfield; I’ll be there. I’ll say that Paris will beat us in the first leg, but to qualify for the next round, it’s going to be Liverpool.”
Want more Empire of the Kop coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trust
Smicer was part of a Reds team which, in 2004/05, became champions of Europe despite a poor fifth-place finish in the Premier League, so perhaps he can see some parallels between that side under Rafael Benitez and the current LFC crop.
It’s true that Liverpool went to the Parc des Princes in the first leg last year and won, despite being second-best for most of the night, but that was when Slot’s team were in a far better place than they are now.
It’d be no surprise if the Reds were to lose on Wednesday, but it’s crucial that they at least keep the tie alive for the second leg at Anfield and put in a performance which suggests that they could emerge victorious on home soil in seven days’ time.
The fear is that we’ll witness a repeat of what happened at the Etihad Stadium at the weekend when Liverpool were ruthlessly dispatched by Manchester City, as another comprehensive defeat would further erode confidence levels which are already brittle.
We’d love for Smicer to be proven right, and while it’s difficult to foresee us being in a Champions League semi-final in a month’s time, this is one football club which specialises in upsetting the odds when it comes to the big European stage!
Welcome to our Live Comments section, where new comments will appear automatically
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Notify me of follow-up comments by email.
Notify me of new posts by email.
