Just hours before the decisive clash between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal in the second leg of the Champions League semifinals, memories of one of this season’s most unforgettable European feats have resurfaced: Liverpool’s elimination at the hands of the Parisian club in the Round of 16.

On March 12, PSG made history by overturning a first-leg loss at the Parc des Princes (0-1) and pulling off a dramatic win at Anfield, advancing via penalty shootout (1-0, 4-1 p.s.o.). The feat was even more impressive considering Arne Slot’s team had only lost once at home all season and entered the tie on a legendary European run, having won all 37 previous knockout ties where they claimed a first-leg away win — 13 of them with a 1-0 scoreline.

Salah: “It was their night, not ours”

Two months after that painful exit, Mohamed Salah, one of the Reds’ key figures, broke his silence and admitted PSG deserved to go through. In an interview with France Football, the Egyptian forward praised the French side’s performance. “I have to be honest. They played a great first leg. We were really lucky. Alisson had the best game of his Liverpool career. They were really unlucky,” he said.

Salah also lamented the missed chances in the return leg, pointing out that Liverpool hit the post several times and that PSG managed to clear balls off the line. “It was a 50/50 match. They played a great first leg, we had a strong second leg. But when it comes down to penalties… sometimes it’s your day, sometimes it’s not,” he added with sportsmanship.

Despite the disappointment, the striker didn’t hesitate to congratulate his opponents: “I shook their hands and said, ‘Congratulations, go win it!’” The Egyptian closed by reflecting on the team’s March slump: “We were in top form all season, but that month we dipped a little… and we faced the best team in Europe at their peak.”

While Salah recently celebrated winning the Premier League and renewed his contract, that unforgettable night at Anfield clearly left a lasting mark.