Mohamed Salah's dream Liverpool farewell in tatters after PSG defeat

Mohamed Salah's dream Liverpool farewell has been dashed after the Reds suffered a 2-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, crashing out of the Champions League 4-0 on aggregate

Mohamed Salah has endured a difficult season for Liverpool(Image: 2026 Getty Images)

Mohamed Salah will be denied the storybook Liverpool farewell that Jamie Carragher had hoped for after their European campaign came to an end. The Reds crashed out of the continent on Tuesday following a 2-0 home defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, sealing a devastating 4-0 aggregate elimination at the hands of the defending champions.

The fixture also marked Salah's final European outing in a Liverpool shirt, with the 33 year old appearing downcast as he acknowledged the Anfield faithful following the final whistle. The Egyptian forward amassed 83 Champions League outings for Liverpool, finding the net 47 times while providing 19 assists.

Most memorably, he struck the decisive goal in the 2019 showpiece against Tottenham Hotspur, while also participating in the two final heartbreaks against Real Madrid in 2018 and 2022. The painful elimination to the Ligue 1 side confirmed that Salah's Anfield swansong will occur during Liverpool's final home match of the campaign against Brentford in late May.

While his poignant departure will undoubtedly prove a significant moment next month, it was a scenario Jamie Carragher admitted he had hoped to avoid. The Liverpool legend previously revealed in his Telegraph column that a more fitting tribute to one of the club's greatest ever players would have been hoisting his second Champions League trophy next month.

The 48 year old wrote: "As a soon-to-be ex-Liverpool player, he will soon come to view the place where he made his name – as I do – as part of his extended family. He will understand my point of view if or when anyone criticises Liverpool in the future.

"And he will also understand that while it is always sad when a great player leaves, no one is irreplaceable. Another Anfield hero always emerges. Confirming his intentions now guarantees the kind of emotional, grand farewell that a player of his standing deserves, which is why it was so critically important that neither he nor the club entertained any offers for him in the January window."

"I have one final admission, however. While I will celebrate his career, I have no wish to be part of a grand Anfield farewell after the club's final Premier League fixture in May. Every Liverpool fan has something far better and more dramatic in mind."

Mohamed Salah has found himself on the bench too often recently(Image: Alex Livesey - Danehouse/Getty Images)

"Knowing Salah's mindset and competitive spirit, he will be setting his sights on the greatest of all possible goodbyes a week later: inspiring his team to victory in the Champions League final in Budapest. Do not bet against the perfect send-off."

With only six fixtures left in his distinguished Liverpool career, Salah remains as determined as ever to drive his team towards Champions League qualification. The Egyptian announced his intention to leave Anfield during last month's international break through a video posted on X.

In a heartfelt goodbye message, Salah opened: "Hello everyone. Unfortunately the day has come. This is the first part of my farewell. I will be leaving Liverpool at the end of the season. I wanted to start by saying that I never imagined how deeply this club, this city, these people, would become part of my life."

"Liverpool is not just a football club, it's a passion, it's a history, it's a spirit. I can't explain in words to anyone not part of this club. We celebrated victory. We won the most important trophies and we fought together through the hardest time in our life."

"I want to thank everyone who was part of this club throughout my time here, especially the team-mates past and present. And to the fans, I don't have enough words. The support you showed me through the best time of my career and you stood by me in the toughest time."

"It's something I will never forget and something I will take with me always. Leaving is never easy. You gave me the best time of my life. I will be always one of you. This club will always be my home to me and my family. Thank you for everything. Because of all of you, I will never walk alone."