The ‘cheeky’ PSG player who Jurgen Klopp lauded in 2022 and who could now be a big threat to Arne Slot in the Champions League

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Liverpool’s quest for Champions League glory continues this week as they face off against Paris Saint-Germain in the last-16.

Having topped the inaugural league phase of the competition, the Reds will enter the knockout rounds with the wind in their sails.

Liverpool, however, will recognise the challenge at hand, with PSG currently one of the most in-form teams in Europe.

The French giants pose a number of threats with one of their attackers in particular no stranger to causing Liverpool problems – namely Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

• READ MORE: Paul Merson shares honest verdict on how Liverpool will fare vs PSG in the UEFA Champions League

Jurgen Klopp praised Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s display vs Liverpool in 2022

PSG’s frontline has been on fire this season, with Ousmane Dembele being compared to Mohamed Salah following a string of dazzling displays.

Desire Doue and Bradley Barcola will also be a threat to the Reds – but Kvaratskhelia will no doubt be the one catching Arne Slot’s attention.

That is because Liverpool will be very familiar with the talents of the Georgian having been torn apart by the attacker back in 2022, while he was at Napoli.

During the 2022/23 Champions League group stage, the Reds were dismantled by the Italian side, with Kvaratskhelia’s spectacular performance catching the headlines on the night.

Trent Alexander-Arnold in particular struggled to deal with 24-year-old talent, and Jurgen Klopp honed in on the battle between the two post-match, telling reporters:

“He’s (Kvicha) a good player,” Klopp on the Georgian’s battle with Alexander-Arnold. “Both are good players, so it’s a really difficult one.

“I know people will talk about one or two situations when Trent tried to be in front of him and the ball goes through.

“But he is really good, the boy, and really quick and you have to defend him together in these moments. When he has the advantage of the first movement, then he is already gone.

“You have to try to be there in the moment when the ball arrives, but if you cannot do that then you need to be protected because he has speed, he is cheeky, he goes inside, he can go outside, that makes it always really difficult.

“A good player and I thought Trent played a really good game against him, was really on fire, didn’t get frustrated by one or two situations where he was second-best, stayed in the game and I liked Trent’s game tonight.”

Kvaratskhelia could highlight Liverpool January mistake in Champions League

Ever since that night in Naples, Kvaratskhelia has been on Liverpool’s radar – so when the Georgian announced he was leaving Napoli in January, the Reds were expected to make a move.

Liverpool, though, failed to sign Kvaratskhelia, with the 24-year-old allowed to head to Paris instead.

With Salah’s future still unclear, the Reds may regret not signing Kvaratskhelia – especially if the winger shines against them in the Champions League.

Having already enjoyed success against the Reds in the past, the Georgian could highlight Liverpool’s January mistake at the Parc des Princes.