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Liverpool’s Dutch manager Arne Slot reacts after conceding a goal during the UEFA Champions League quarter-final against PSG, April 14, 2026. [AFP]
Mohamed Salah’s glorious Liverpool career will have an anti-climactic end after Paris Saint-Germain swatted aside Arne Slot’s men in a meek Champions League exit that will ensure a trophyless season for the Reds.
Ousmane Dembele struck twice, as for the second consecutive season, Liverpool was eliminated by the French champions on their own turf.
Last season, there was at least pride in bowing out only on penalties to the side that would go on to win the Champions League.
Just over 12 months on, there was a chasm between the teams over two legs as PSG won 2-0 at Anfield on Tuesday to progress 4-0 on aggregate without even having to hit top gear.
Fresh from winning the Premier League in Slot’s debut season, Liverpool embarked on a £450 million splurge in the transfer window that was supposed to build on the club’s rise back to the top of the English and European game during Jurgen Klopp’s tenure.
But the campaign began with tragedy when Diogo Jota died in a car accident on his way back for pre-season training.
How much the emotional toll of losing a treasured team-mate has played since cannot be quantified.
But a shambolic season on the field has left Slot’s position in serious jeopardy and has already had consequences for the squad.
Salah has brought the curtain down on his time on Merseyside a year early after signing a two-year deal just 12 months ago.
The Egyptian, who unleashed an explosive tirade towards Slot in December for being dropped, started on the bench for both legs against PSG.
Andy Robertson has also announced his exit at the end of the campaign, leaving Virgil van Dijk, Alisson Becker and Joe Gomez as the only survivors from the Liverpool side that last won the Champions League in 2019.
Anticipating a tough transition from the dying embers of the team that Klopp built, Liverpool broke their own transfer record twice last summer, spending over £100 million on Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz.
Hugo Ekitike, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez also joined as Liverpool spent more than any club ever has in a single transfer window.
But to fund the rebuild, there were more exits than incomings.
Trent Alexander-Arnold and Luis Diaz have proved to be massive losses, while a lack of depth has been exacerbated by significant injuries.
For the first time, all five new signings started the second leg against PSG.
But they lasted less than half an hour together before Ekitike suffered a suspected ruptured Achilles that could keep the French international sidelined for well into next season.
“It is part of our season,” said Slot. “We had Alex, Hugo and Florian together for only 88 minutes before tonight. We added 28 minutes and I would be surprised if we can add a few more minutes to that (this season).”
Isak, who signed for an English record £125 million from Newcastle, was making his first start since suffering a broken leg in December.
Frimpong’s first season at Anfield has also been decimated by recurring muscle injuries and he had to be replaced once more at half-time by Gomez.
Wirtz has stayed fit but been a pale imitation of the player who led Bayer Leverkusen to Bundesliga glory two years ago.
Sitting fifth in the Premier League, all that is left for Slot’s side to fight for in the coming weeks is to make sure they are back in the Champions League next season.