PSG host Manchester City in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals, hoping they can make it to the last four.
In the last couple of years PSG developed into one of the most attractive and glamorous football clubs in the world. The Parisians have been dominant in their domestic championship, winning four consecutive titles, but now is the time to make a breakthrough in the Champions League.
In the last three years they’ve been knocked out in this phase so the Red and Blue fans hope the time has come for their club to play at least semifinals of the most prestigious football competition in the world.
PSG’s big advantage over Manchester City is that they’ve already cleared their situation in the Ligue One. They won the title so they can focus on the Championship League. Another big advantage is Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Ibra is playing miraculously this season scoring 30 goals in the French championship, adding another four in the Champions League so City’s defense will have a lot of trouble trying to stop him.
Manchester City have went through the same path as the Parisians. Both clubs were average in their national championship, being miles away from European competitions when Qatari money arrived. Both completely reconstructed their teams and elevated to a whole new level.
The Citizens aren’t as dominant in the Premiership as the Parisians in Ligue One, but that’s no wonder because Premier League is much stronger competition than the Ligue One. Despite competition, the Sky Blues finished in the top 3 in every of the last five seasons, winning two titles in the process, but failed to make any progress in the Champions League.
First two seasons they weren’t able to even pass the group stage, while in the last two seasons have been knocked out in the round of 16. Irony is the Citizens made the best European result in the worst season in the last six years. Premature announcement about Guardiola’s arrival seemed to demoralize some players and manager so the Citizens compromised their Champions League spot for the next season.
Despite problems they’ve been having in Barclays Premier League, the Champions League is additional motive for every player so Pellegrini’s players shouldn’t be written off although the Parisians are favorites in this duel.
Form guide (all competitions) :Â WLDDWL
Head to Head
These two have met only once. It was in the season 2008/09 in the group phase of the Europa League where they played a goalless draw. From City’s current squad only Joe Hart, Pablo Zabaleta and Vincent Kompany have played in this game while in the Parisians side none of the current players participated in 2008/09 clash.
Match Facts
- The last three Champions League knockout encounters between Ligue 1 and Premier League clubs have all seen the French team eliminate their English counterpart.
- Manchester City have kept fewer clean sheets than any other of the 2015/16 quarter-finalists in this season’s Champions League (1 in 8 games)
- No team has scored more goals than Manchester City in the final 15 minutes of games in the Champions League this season (6).
- Paris SG have lost only one of their last 38 home games in European competition (W25 D12), that was against Barcelona in April 2015 (1-3).
- Paris SG have the joint-best defensive record in this season’s Champions League (3 goals conceded in 8 games, level with Atlético & Real Madrid). PSG are also the only team yet to concede a goal in the second-half of a Champions League game in 2015/16.
Team News
Pastore and Verratti are still out due to injuries. Ibrahimovic, Matuidi and David Luiz are in danger of missing second leg if they get a yellow card in today’s game.
Sterling and Kompany are out, while Delph, Hart and Toure are doubtful. Otamendi is the only City’s player in danger of missing second leg due to yellow cards.
Predicted Lineups
Trapp; Marquinhos, David Luiz, Thiago Silva, Maxwell; Matuidi, Rabiot, Thiago Motta, Di MarÃa, Ibrahimović, Cavani
Hart; Sagna, Mangala, Otamendi, Clichy; Fernandinho, Fernando; De Bruyne, Toure, Silva; Aguero.
From : SS.com
