Introduction
UEFA Champions League, a tournament of 32 teams and 77 matches, has reached its Semi-Final stages. Our expectations get higher when we see this Semi-Final Legs go in full energy. And what can be a better entertainer than two Heavyweights battling it out for the place in the final? YES, we are talking about PSG vs Manchester City, as the fans around the world say, El Cash’ico.
PSG defeated their rivals Bayern Munich is on their way to set their form and records straight in the Champions League. In order to do that, their challenge will be the star-studded Manchester City team, which had a strong team with tactical superiority.
Mauricio Pochettino will face Pep Guardiola for the 2nd time in UCL Knockout stage Draws. Pochettino will try to get his record straight against Pep. Pep on the other hand might look to crack open this PSG defense with his ultimate Tiki-Taka.
Let us see how these teams play in the ‘El Cashico’ game, here is a short preview.
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Why to watch
There is absolutely no reason why you shouldn’t watch this enticing clash between the two European heavyweight clubs. The UCL is the only competition where we get to see these mouth-watering clashes between different country giants take place. And this match is occurring at the Semifinal stage of Europe’s Elite league which is spicing it up even more. ManCity will be looking to get their hands on the elusive European title at least once under Guardiola. The Spaniard has been able to win almost everything for the citizens except for the UCL. It is of no wonder that he will try to get this on his trophy cabinet this time.
Similar is the case for PSG who have never won the Champions League. They bought Brazilian superstar Neymar for a world record €222M fee with an eye to win the title. Although they got the chance to play in the finals last year against Bayern, the Parisians have failed to win. They know they have a task cut out when they face a resurgent Man City side, fresh from winning the Carabao Cup by beating Tottenham. It remains to be seen which of these sides come on top in this fixture and remain in an advantageous position. So guys, stay tuned in for the match and see which team topples the other. The match is scheduled to start at 00:30 IST or 19:00 GMT.
Build up
Manchester City
The Cityzens come into the match high on confidence after their 4th consecutive and 8th overall League Cup title. Guardiola’s men defeated Spurs by 1-0 in a match which welcomed back spectators. The Manchester side has never been able to get into the UCL Finals, so Guardiola will be expected to put his thinking hat on, and plan for Paris Saint-Germain. Having already won a silverware and Premier League being in sight too, Manchester City will come out all guns blazing to reach the final and fulfill their ultimate dream of winning the Uefa Champions League.
Predicted line up
Man city:- 4-3-3 /4-2-3-1
Goalkeeper: – Ederson
Defence : – Kyle Walker John Stones, Ruben Dias, Joao Cancelo,
Midfield: – Rodri ,Kevin De Bruyne, Gundogan
Attack: – Riyadh Mahrez, Phil Foden, B.Silva
PSG
The Parisiens come into the match on the back of excellent league form which has seen them stay in the surprisingly tight Ligue 1 title race, behind Lille in 2nd. Most importantly, both of their star men, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar are fit for the clash against City, considering the injuries history for the Paris side in the crucial UCL games. Pochettino will hope for his team to fire in unison in their quest to reach Istanbul for the final.
Predicted line up
PSG:- 4-2-3-1
Goalkeeper: –Keylor Navas
Defence: – Kimpembe, Marquinhos, Bakker, Florenzi
Midfield: – Leonardo Pardes, Marco Verratti, Gueye , Di Maria
Attack: – Neymar Jr , Kylian Mbappe
Head To Head
Wednesday’s first leg represents the fourth meeting between PSG and Man City, and the French side failed to beat their opponents in any of the previous three fixtures since 2008.
The inaugural meeting between the clubs in the 2008-09 UEFA Cup ended goalless, and in the 2015-16 Champions League group stage, the sides drew 2-2 in Paris before De Bruyne struck in a 1-0 home win for City
Players to watch out
PSG
Kylian Mbappe
Kylian Mbappe is considered the most exciting talent of world football. Qualities like pace, precision plays, and deadly finishing make Mbappe a lethal weapon for his side. He’s had brilliant performances against Barcelona and Bayern Munich. He will be looking to run a riot in Paris tonight.
Neymar Jr
Neymar is a player of a kind. A complete player like him is all you need at the highest level of the champions league. On the back of a MOTM Performance against Bayern Munich, he will be looking to put the game to bed. Not because City is a bad opposition, but because Neymar is just that quality of a player. His link-up with Mbappe and Di Maria will be key to the result of this
Manchester City
Phil Foden
Phil Foden has been the vital element in the Blues’ winning streak. A blistering pace, precision play, and exquisite ball control are the qualities of a generational wonderkid. Marquinhos will have to keep his racing boots on, to match the pace of Foden. He has been scoring crucial goals too. We might see one from him tonight, who knows!
Ilkay Gundogan
Ilkay Gundogan has been in form of his life in this season his current role. The midfielder has been up the pecking order since the past few months. Scoring and assisting goals with consistency has been the recipe to his game. A technically sound player like him is a dream for any manager, and Pep will trust Gundogan to weave magic tonight!
Conclusion
All we can say is, this game is a must-watch for the football fans, and also maybe it is on your Watchlist tonight. You can expect some thriller, screamer, upsets, and emotions, after all, it is a game of Football. This ‘El Cashico’ will be interesting because matches of two Heavyweights are never boring. So, take your nearest Popcorn Bucket and watch the game taking your favorite seats, entertainment will be inevitable.
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