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Photo by Joan Gosa/Xinhua via Getty Images
Liverpool’s star goalkeeper was the difference in their 1-0 road victory over Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday.
Liverpool have won in a lot of ways this season, and at times they have counted on goalkeeper Alisson Becker to be the difference maker in a campaign that sees them in the mix for—and arguably favourites in—three competitions in March.
In Wednesday’s 1-0 first leg Round of 16 victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, though, he was something more. More than just the difference maker. More than just a star or Man of the Match. Maybe even more than world class.
“I have had some very good players as a manager but I don’t think I’ve worked with a goalkeeper that has played at this level because he’s the best in the world,” was manager Arne Slot’s appraisal of his goalkeeper’s performance on the evening.
“He showed that he is the best in the world today. I did experience once or twice maybe that we had defend so much, but normally then you go away then with a 1-0 loss or 2-0. To go away with a win here was probably a bit more than we deserved.”
Paris Saint-Germain took 27 shots on the night, putting 10 on target and creating around two expected goals worth of chances. Alisson stopped everything. And then, on their first shot of the night in the 87th minute, Harvey Elliott scored for the Reds.
It was a shot one would expect to end in a goal around 15% of the time. And PSG’s Gianluigi Donnarumma got a hand to it. If his wrist had been stronger, as Alisson’s so often was, it wouldn’t have been goal. But Alisson, perhaps, is an unfair standard.
Because he may play behind one of Europe’s top defences. And so at times he may not be called upon as often as some of his peers. But Alisson Ramses Becker is the best goalkeeper in the world. On Wednesday, he reminded everybody of that fact.
