Mohamed Salah of Liverpool is under fire for his two-leg performance against PSG following a devastating penalty shootout loss.
During 220 minutes versus PSG, Salah lost control 47 times and was unable to contribute significantly.
Salah’s prospects of winning the Ballon d’Or may suffer as a result of his Champions League loss; he will need to win in Europe.
A rare stain on the record of Arne Slot’s first season as manager of Liverpool was Tuesday night’s heartbreaking penalty shootout loss to PSG in the Champions League Round of 16. The Dutchman has guided his team to the verge of Premier League gold after spending just £12.5 million in his first transfer window as Jurgen Klopp’s successor. They are now getting ready for Sunday’s League Cup final against Newcastle United.
However, one player has disappointed his new manager in two legs that many would not have predicted, even though Darwin Nunez and Curtis Jones will both be feeling worse for wear after their penalty misses finally decided Liverpool’s destiny in midweek. Even though he has been outstanding this season and is vying for a Ballon d’Or, Mohamed Salah didn’t bask in his team’s success.
The Egyptian King appeared completely devastated as Desire Doue’s winning penalty struck the net, and he stared into the abyss. Salah will undoubtedly be disappointed with his performance against the most formidable opponent Liverpool has faced this season, even if he has established a reputation as a big-game player since his arrival in 2017.
Mohamed Salah’s ‘Phantom’ Performance Against PSG
He lost possession 47 times across 220 minutes of football
PSG’s constant pressure, Liverpool’s inability to maintain midfield control, Nuno Mendes’ skill, or simply Salah’s poor play made the 32-year-old appear to be a shadow of his former self in both legs of the Champions League Round of 16.
Notably, the Egypt international lost possession 47 times in 220 minutes of play and only completed three of his 11 dribble attempts, losing all of his duels against his opposite number in the first leg. This pattern persisted into the second leg.
Mo Salah failed to register a goal contribution in 220 minutes of football against PSG.
Nuno Mendes won 19/23 ground duels and 13 tackles across the two legs 😤 pic.twitter.com/0fiijMl0Zb
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 11, 2025
PSG spent a good deal of time criticising their opponents’ main talisman after their victory, which the French media had been saying would come easily after they were unfortunate to lose 1-0 in the first leg after Harvey Elliott’s late winner in a game where Liverpool soaked up 27 shots with 10 on goal.
Salah’s performance at the Parc des Princes was rated a 2/10 by French media outlet GFFN in the first leg, claiming that Mendes had chained him and that the Ballon d’Or favourite was a “phantom.” In the same report, another was mentioned:
In the Parisian camp, the spectral Egyptian touched very few balls. Nuno Mendes devoured Salah every each of his few accelerations, promising the Portuguese full-back misery in the duel.
“Well controlled [by PSG] in the first leg (1-0), the Liverpool winger had another mixed evening against Paris Saint-Germain,” Maxifoot said, while Footmercato and Homme du Match awarded Salah a 4/10 for his performance in the second leg. He lacked agility, and Mendes caught him particularly well in the first half.
Salah had to cope with a lot of criticism on the internet, and it was a week to forget. X user “What Nuno Mendes did to Salah over these two legs was absolutely absurd” “This man was one of Azkaban’s prisoners. Salah had absolutely no responses. Someone else wrote: “Salah stinking for 210 mins straight over 2 cl legs is beyond anything my mortal mind could’ve conjured.”
He was described as “absolutely shocking” and his performance as a “abomination” by another user, who also concluded, “Over 2 legs, probably the worst I’ve ever seen Salah.”
Salah’s Dreams of Winning the Ballon d’Or Are in Danger
‘World’s Best Footballer’ credentials for the Egyptian have been scrutinised.
Salah’s Ballon d’Or Hopes Hang in the Balance
The Egyptian’s ‘World’s Best Footballer’ credentials have been put under the microscope
Salah appeared to be headed for a historic season that would cement his status as one of the greatest Premier League players ever. Although he has been essential to Liverpool’s success, early rumours of a Ballon d’Or candidacy have swiftly been eclipsed following their Champions League exit due to the erratic nature of football fans.
When Thierry Henry announced Raphinha as the new front-runner, rival supporters quickly agreed. But there’s no denying that the Reds’ striker is still the top player in the world of football right now. Unfortunately, voters tend to value continental performance over local accomplishments, therefore his early withdrawal from European competition could lose him the Golden Ball.
Mohamed Salah’s figures for 2024–2025
Games
42
Objectives
32
Helps
22
Even if Liverpool wins the Premier League and Carabao Cup, Raphinha, Kylian Mbappe, and Ousmane Dembele are still in the running for European glory at the end of May, and they may surpass Salah in the standings.
