Champions League: PSG – Manchester City, a summit match to avoid falling into the void

Dembélé, remis d'un virus, et Barcola seront les atouts maîtres des Parisiens à la pointe de l'attaque. EPA – ANNA SZILAGYI

Paris (25e) comme City (22e) sont en fâcheuse posture au classement et risquent l’élimination en cas de défaite lors de cette avant-dernière journée de la phase de Ligue, alors que seuls les 24 premiers seront qualifiés.

On the brink of an infamous elimination in the Champions League, Paris SG hosts Pep Guardiola's Manchester City on Wednesday at the Parc des Princes (9 p.m.) for a prestigious and crucial duel. During the draw, coach Luis Enrique and his troops undoubtedly viewed this penultimate match of the league phase, before the trip to Stuttgart seven days later, as a great match to jostle for position at the top.

But since then, both Paris and City have had the greatest difficulty in assuming their status. The first is in first place in the playoffs, 25th out of 36 (seven points), after having blown their cards against PSV Eindhoven (1-1) and Atlético Madrid (2-1 defeat at the Parc).

20 goals in 4 matches for City

As for Manchester City, Guardiola's well-oiled machine has seized up, with a fifth place in the Premier League and a 22nd place in the Champions League. The “Citizens” took a beating against Sporting Portugal (4-1), squandered a three-goal lead against Feyenoord at home (3-3) and were defeated by Juventus (2-0).

Pep Guardiola reunites with Luis Enrique, who he played with at Barcelona. MAXPPP – John Walton

But they have righted the bar since the start of the year with 20 goals in four matches, including a festival against Ipswich (6-0) in the championship.

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Same playing philosophy

“It's a special match, I don't think anyone could have predicted that City would have eight points and us seven but it's the new competition format”, Luis Enrique said on Tuesday. It was also a unique match for the two Spanish coaches, who played together in Barcelona and share a playing philosophy, the Parisian coach confided: “It's a great joy to meet Pep again […]. What brings us together is our playing philosophy, being better than the opponent with the ball, continually pressing the opponent. We're going to see a very good football match”.

Luis Enrique wants to believe in his playing philosophy to achieve qualification. EPA – ANNA SZILAGYI

Dembelé and Barcola as saviors ?

“I would like to play the Champions League in February”, stressed French international Ousmane Dembélé in reference to the two-legged play-off if PSG gets out of the rut. Paris has reassured itself by collecting results in recent weeks (victory in Salzburg 3-0, qualification for the quarter-finals of the Coupe de France, victories in the championship). But the manner continues to sow doubts about the real level of the team.

The recruit Kvaratskhelia not qualified

Luis Enrique, who persists and signs without a professional center forward at kick-off, will count on the rediscovered forms of wingers Ousmane Dembélé and Bradley Barcola. Dembélé scored in his last four matches before catching a virus that required him to rest.

Lille beaten at Liverpool, Monaco win at Aston Villa

Beaten 2-1 on Tuesday in Liverpool, Lille are out of the Top 8 but are assured of playing at least the play-offs for accession to the 8th finals of the Champions League, before hosting Feyenoord on the last day of the league phase.

Reduced to 10 (58th), Losc, who had been unbeaten for 21 matches in all competitions, gave way with honors against the best team in Europe currently, already qualified for the eighth. After the Reds opened the scoring with the inevitable Mohamed Salah (34th), Jonathan David equalised (62nd), but Harvey Elliott gave the English victory with a blocked shot (67th).

Singo the saviour

AS Monaco continued their superb run by dominating Aston Villa 1-0 at home and ensuring they would at least play in the play-offs to reach the round of 16. Wilfried Singo scored the only goal of the match in the 8th minute, heading in a poorly cleared ball from Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez. Monaco have 13 points after seven of the eight matches in the League phase, which should secure them a place among the 24 qualifiers.

Barcola, for his part, ended a 12-match drought without scoring against Espaly and then Lens. To resolve its offensive timidity in the C1 (six goals in six matches), PSG will however not be able to field its new recruit, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who was made official on Friday, under UEFA rules.