Liverpool take on Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final in France on Wednesday evening
Vitinha (centre), Warren Zaire-Emery and Goncalo Ramos of Paris Saint-Germain celebrate victory following the Ligue 1 clash against Toulouse FC on April 3 2026(Image: Jean Catuffe/Getty Images)
Vladimir Smicer has questioned the advantage granted to Paris Saint-Germain ahead of Liverpool’s Champions League clash against the holders.
But the European Cup winner is confident his former team will be given extra motivation by the decision of the French authorities to postpone PSG’s domestic title showdown against Lens to allow them to “prepare in the best conditions” for the tie.
The game between the top two in Ligue Un was due to take place next Saturday, three days after Wednesday’s quarter-final first leg visit of Liverpool and three before the return clash at Anfield.
The Reds entertain Fulham in the Premier League that same evening, with PSG also given an extra day to prepare for this week’s game at the Parc des Princes by playing on Friday against Toulouse while Liverpool took on Manchester City in their FA Cup quarter-final the following afternoon.
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And Smicer, who scored when winning the Champions League with Liverpool in 2005 and is also an ex-Lens player, doesn’t believe PSG should have been helped out with the postponement.
“It’s strange, very strange what’s happened,” he said. “I don’t think they should’ve done that.
“The fixtures are here to be played. I can understand if they had something like flu or something, if the team was suffering from something, if they were missing a lot of players.
“They are not missing a lot of players, they are just trying to gain an advantage and try to have more energy than Liverpool do. I don’t think it’s right. It’s right that Lens are not happy.
“At Liverpool, we won’t be crying. We won’t be moaning, the players will be aware and will be keen to show PSG that their rest hasn’t helped them.”
Liverpool finished third in the league stage of the Champions League and saw off Galatasaray in the round of 16, but go into the game having lost four of their last seven matches in all competitions and on the back of a dismal 4-0 loss at City.
The Reds were eliminated from the Champions League at the round of 16 stage last season on penalties by PSG after both sides had traded 1-0 away wins.
And speaking to football betting site BetVictor, Smicer said: “There is plenty of motivation for Liverpool. It’s revenge. It’s a revenge for last year. We were close to qualifying, and in the end Paris Saint-Germain won the competition, deserved to win because they were really, really good.
“But this season, they are the favourites, they are champions, they were champions last year, and the underdog role can suit us. I still think we’ve got a good quality.
“I know we lost some games we never should have lost, but that’s the way it goes this season, but we’ve got a chance to beat them. Especially the second game back at Anfield.
“I still think we’ve got much more quality than we are showing at the moment this season. Liverpool need to be careful. But still, I think if you call us underdogs, Liverpool will like it. We love it.”
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