Can PSG’s star power deny Man City’s first final?
With Istanbul firmly in their sights, Manchester City gear up for the next leg of their Champions League semi-last showdown with Paris Saint-Germain at the Etihad on Tuesday night.
After a loss in the first leg, PSG must do much more in the rematch to get rid of City and prevent them from appearing in their first-ever final.
An exemplary second-half showing from Pep Guardiola's men saw them emerge 2-1 winners from previous week's first leg at the Parc des Princes, where Marquinhos's header was cancelled away by strikes from Kevin De Bruyne and Riyad Mahrez.
Both sides boosted their chances of domestic success at the weekend, as Man City overcame Crystal Palace 2-0 and are mere inches from yet another Premier League title and may well win the league crown next weekend while PSG kept their title hopes alive with a 2-1 win over Lens.
Both teams have fantastic players in their ranks but Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said previous this season 'We don't have a particular player to win games,' to describe his side's consistency in a more congested season than previously. "We must do it together."
City's strength as a good collective was evidenced in Saturday's 2-0 win in Crystal Palace that took them to the brink of a good third Premier League title found in four years.
City's depth won out above PSG's stardust found in the first leg. After a bright first of all 45 minutes, Neymar and Mbappe were lowered to frustrated spectators as the visitors dominated possession and acquired their vital apart goals from De Bruyne and Mahrez.
Keeping the ball will key element to Guardiola's arrange for the second leg about Tuesday to minimise PSG's threat about the counter-attack. "We are great playing in some way, we cannot do it another way," explained the Catalan coach about how his side take off the supply to Neymar and Mbappe in the second-half a week ago.
Mbappe alone has scored five goals found in PSG's last two apart trips to Guardiola's ex - clubs Barcelona and Bayern. But with the French World Cup winner a personal injury doubt due to a calf strain, the much-maligned PSG helping cast might need to step up if they're to deny City an initial ever Champions League last as reward for their careful squad construction over many seasons.
