Ousmane Dembele makes Anfield atmosphere admission after knocking out Liverpool

PSG were firm favourites to progress heading into Tuesday's second leg on Merseyside after winning the first leg 2-0 at the Parc des Princes thanks to goals from Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

Dembele, the 2025 Ballon d'Or winner, missed chances to make the final scoreline even more emphatic in the French capital.

But just like he did last season, he was on target at Anfield in a PSG victory.

FOLLOW OUR LIVERPOOL FC FACEBOOK PAGE! All the latest news and analysis from Anfield on the Liverpool Echo's dedicated LFC Facebook page

Whereas Luis Enrique's side needed penalties back then to seal their place in the quarter-finals, after Dembele had cancelled out Harvey Elliott's first-leg strike, they were ultimately comfortable winners this time around.

That said, after an even first half, it was Liverpool who dominated large parts of the second half and they were very much the team on top until PSG's talisman broke the deadlock in the 72nd minute through a moment of magic.

To their and their supporters' credit, the Reds never gave up, but their fate was sealed in injury-time when Dembele put the finishing touch to another razor-sharp counter-attack.

And speaking to CBS Sports after his match-winning double, the France international said: "The first match and the second match are always different, and in a stadium like that, it’s always difficult.

"We came here to take the win, that was our mentality, and the most important thing is we got through.

"It’s a stadium that is a difficult stadium and it's a difficult team. They made us work for it.

"But we’re happy that we were able to take this match-up.”

PSG boss Enrique echoed Dembele's thoughts, admitting the outgoing Premier League champions deserved to score.

He said: "It was an important game for us, a top game not just for our fans or Liverpool’s but for all fans. Two really good teams, Liverpool played a fantastic game, a lot of intensity. It was really tight.

"There were a few moments where we had the upper hand. Things got even tougher for us in the second half but we showed what kind of team we are. It was a wonderful Champions League quarter-final.

"Liverpool definitely deserved to score over the course of the game.

"Had we conceded a goal early on it would have been really difficult so you need things to go your way and it is wonderful to have these kind of players in the clubs and the fans as well, their support was extraordinary. We are happy to show them what we are made of."

PSG will now face Bayern Munich or Real Madrid in the semi-finals as they attempt to take one step closer to defending their crowd.

And Dembele said: "The first part of the season was difficult. We didn't have much downtime, but that's no excuse. I've said it multiple times that we had to find our way together as a team.

"The most important thing is the team - to play together and fight together. We know we have incredible players and when we play as a team we are difficult to beat.

"The most important thing is that mentality - the team, just the team, and to play for PSG."