'Better than a goal!' - Marquinhos hails 'decisive' clearance as PSG dump Liverpool out of Champions League.

The 31-year-old Brazilian centre-back delivered a defensive masterclass during the quarter-final second leg on Tuesday. Paris Saint-Germain have successfully eliminated Liverpool from the Champions League at Anfield for the second consecutive season. As the reigning champions, the French club showcased their European pedigree by securing a comfortable 2-0 win on the night, replicating their first-leg scoreline to advance to the semi-finals with a commanding 4-0 aggregate victory. The match remained goalless in the first half when Marquinhos intervened with a breathtaking clearance to deny the hosts, setting the stage for Ousmane Dembele to score twice later in the game.

The defender expressed immense pride in his decisive intervention while speaking to Canal+. The crucial block happened when the score was still deadlocked at 0-0.

"For a defender, it's better than a goal! It's the kind of moments I enjoy the most. Safonov makes a first save, there's a second ball, I turn around and I see [Virgil] van Dijk arriving. I just have the reflex to throw myself at the ball and try to save it. These are details that change a match," Marquinhos said.

Beyond that singular highlight, the veteran centre-back produced outstanding defensive numbers throughout the 90 minutes. Marquinhos registered eight vital defensive contributions, including four crucial clearances and two blocked shots, completely neutralising the opposition's attacking threats. Furthermore, the defender was never dribbled past during the entire encounter, proving his immense reliability at the back.

Following this emphatic triumph, the club have securely booked their place in the semi-finals. PSG now eagerly await the winner of the highly anticipated clash between Bayern and Real Madrid. Bayern currently hold an advantage after securing a vital 2-1 victory in the first leg at the Santiago Bernabeu.