Liverpool’s 2-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final raised immediate questions, and none bigger than the absence of Mohamed Salah from the starting lineup.
With the Egyptian widely regarded as Liverpool’s most decisive attacking player in Europe, many expected him to lead the line in such a high-stakes match. Instead, Arne Slot opted to leave him on the bench, a decision that became one of the main talking points after a night in which Liverpool struggled badly in attack.
Slot says the decision was made for balance and survival
After the match, Slot made it clear that his choice was not about form or status. The Liverpool manager explained that the call was made with the team’s defensive balance in mind.
His thinking was that Liverpool needed to protect themselves better against PSG’s attacking threat and also manage Salah’s energy in a demanding period of the season. In other words, it was a tactical decision shaped by the need to survive the game as much as to win it.
Liverpool looked blunt without their main threat
Whatever the reasoning, the decision did not pay off on the night. Liverpool produced very little going forward and finished the game with an unusually weak attacking output.
The team managed only three shots in total and failed to register a single effort on target. That kind of display only increased the focus on Salah’s absence, especially given his history of delivering in major European matches.
A difficult night at the worst time
This loss came at a point in the season when Liverpool can no longer afford many setbacks. After their FA Cup exit the previous weekend, the Champions League now stands as their last remaining path to major silverware.
That reality adds even more weight to Slot’s selection calls and to the second leg that now awaits. Liverpool not only need a response, they need one with far more attacking conviction than they showed in Paris.
Salah’s final chance to leave with a trophy
With Salah set to leave the club at the end of the season, the situation carries added emotion as well as pressure. For one of Liverpool’s modern greats, the Champions League now represents the final opportunity to close his Anfield career with another major honour.
That makes the benching in Paris feel even more significant. Slot may have had understandable tactical reasons, but the spotlight will now fall heavily on whether Liverpool can turn the tie around, and on how central Salah will be to any comeback attempt.
The second leg now becomes a defining test
Slot’s explanation gives context, but results will decide how the call is remembered. If Liverpool recover and progress, the benching may be seen as part of a longer plan. If they go out, it will remain one of the most questioned decisions of their season.
For now, all that is certain is this: Liverpool were too passive, too limited and too easy to contain in Paris. And with the tie slipping away, the need for Salah’s influence has only become more obvious.
