The Liverpool game has sharpened into a clearer picture after Paris Saint-Germain named their traveling squad for the Champions League quarter-final second leg at Anfield. Bradley Barcola is available for the Liverpool game, while Fabian Ruiz remains sidelined for PSG. The second leg is set for Tuesday night in Merseyside, with PSG arriving after a first-leg advantage and Liverpool facing notable injury concerns of their own.
PSG travel with attacking depth for the Liverpool game
PSG’s squad includes Achraf Hakimi, Ousmane Dembele, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Barcola, giving Luis Enrique a strong pool of options for the Liverpool game. Barcola had been a doubt after an ankle sprain in the last-16 win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, but he trained with teammates on the Anfield pitch on Monday and is expected to be used from the bench.
That matters because Barcola had not missed a Champions League match this season before the injury, and his return adds another route for PSG to threaten late in the Liverpool game. The forward has also been linked with Liverpool in past transfer discussion, adding another layer of intrigue to his presence on the visitors’ bench.
Fabian Ruiz stays out as PSG manage fitness
The other major note from the PSG camp is that Fabian Ruiz is still out. He has not returned to the competition since suffering a knee injury in the loss to Sporting Portugal in the league phase on January 20, and his absence continues to limit PSG’s midfield options for the Liverpool game.
PSG have kept the door open on his recovery, with the medical department having cleared him to resume activities, but he is still feeling pain and will not be rushed. That leaves Luis Enrique with a squad that is strong, but not fully complete, heading into a high-pressure night at Anfield.
Luis Enrique’s view and Liverpool’s challenge
Before the quarter-final tie, Luis Enrique said: “We are going to have to see after training. Each time we have a player coming back from injury, it’s always good news. He’s been out three weeks and has been working hard to get back, and we’ll have to see how he’s feeling today. It’s important for us to get players back. ”
For Liverpool, the scale of the challenge is also defined by absences. Alisson, Conor Bradley, Giovanni Leoni and Wataru Endo are all missing through injury, leaving the home side to manage the Liverpool game with limited defensive and squad depth.
What the second leg now asks
The context is straightforward: PSG are bringing quality, Liverpool are trying to overturn the tie, and the Liverpool game now carries added weight because of who is available and who is not. Barcola’s possible impact and Fabian Ruiz’s continued absence may both shape how PSG approach the closing stages.
With the squad now set and Tuesday night approaching, the next chapter of the Liverpool game will be decided by how Luis Enrique uses his options and how Liverpool cope with the pressure of Anfield.
