Kevin de Bruyne’s excellent goal confirmed Manchester City’s passage into their first ever Champions League semi-final at the expense of the disappointing French champions
9.41pm BST
And you can’t say that Manchester City don’t deserve to be there. They were the underdogs but in the end they have gone through with a surprising degree of comfort at the expense of a hugely underwhelming Paris Saint-Germain, who suffer their fourth consecutive last-eight exit. The French champions played without any urgency, rarely threatened, defended badly, got it wrong tactically and Laurent Blanc is going to have to answer some difficult questions. This was supposed to be the year when they made the next step. Alas. Still, City were worthy winners. Kevin de Bruyne scored another excellent goal and their much maligned defence handled PSG’s much vaunted attack. City march on, but I’ll end on a note of caution: there’s still going to have to be an improvement if they play one of the big three of Barcelona, Bayern Munich or Real Madrid. Thanks for reading and emailing. Night.
9.37pm BST
Manchester City are in the Champions League semi-finals for the first time!
9.36pm BST
90 min+3: City take the opportunity to waste some more time, Kelechi Iheanacho replacing Aguero, whose missed penalty doesn’t matter now.
9.35pm BST
90 min+2: Toure shoots wide from 25 yards.
9.34pm BST
90 min: There will be three minutes of added time. PSG need two goals. They’re not getting two goals.
9.31pm BST
87 min: David Silva is walking off. Marquinhos berates him for not leaving quickly enough; it’s a bit rich for a PSG player to tell a City player to liven up. Fabian Delph comes on.
9.29pm BST
86 min: PSG put the ball in the City net again, Ibrahimovic sticking Maxwell’s cross past Hart, but the flag’s up for offside again! Ibrahimovic was two yards offside, which sums up PSG’s night.
9.27pm BST
84 min: Kevin de Bruyne, the man who’s made the difference for City, is replaced by the man who used to make the difference for City, Yaya Toure.
9.25pm BST
81 min: Aguero hares after an overhit Navas cross and retrieves the ball just before it goes for a throw. He faces up to Van der Wiel, teasing the right-back, and then cheekily flicks the ball against his thighs to win a throw for City. That must have been dispiriting.
9.24pm BST
80 min: A mistake in midfield allows Lucas to race through the middle, with City exposed. He slides it through to Cavani, who maintains his tradition of coming up with big misses in England, failing to beat Hart with his chip.
9.22pm BST
77 min: De Bruyne has been massive for City in Europe this season - two goals in this tie and he also scored a crucial last minute winner against Sevilla in the group. PSG need to find two goals from somewhere. And they’ve not looked like scoring.
9.21pm BST
City press on the edge of the PSG area, with the visitors looking jaded, tired and uninterested. Can they find a killer pass or shot? It takes them a while. Clichy crosses. It’s cleared. But not far. The ball comes to De Bruyne eventually. This is what City want. He dodges a challenge from Cavani - and then he shapes a glorious shot into the bottom left corner from 20 yards, Trapp given no chance! What a finish! He did it in Paris, now he’s done it in Manchester and City are on the verge of their first ever Champions League semi-final.
9.17pm BST
74 min: PSG are not brimming with urgency. They’re hardly threatening to bang the door down.
9.15pm BST
72 min: Fernandinho is booked for an agricultural swipe at Pastore.
9.13pm BST
70 min: PSG slice City open on the right, Van der Wiel peeling away from Silva, but the Dutchman’s low cross is cleared for a throw. He might have done more in that position.
9.12pm BST
9.11pm BST
68 min: Now Van der Wiel is booked. PSG are running out of time.
9.10pm BST
67 min: Pastore is booked for a foul on Fernandinho on the left touchline. “City are awful at corners, why not try an inswinger for once?” says Paul Ruffley. They don’t have a left footer to take them, do they? I suppose Silva could. Or Clichy. Or, y’know, Silva. I’m rambling.
9.10pm BST
66 min: Another dangerous delivery from Lucas is almost met by Silva; but not quite. The ball flashes through the area and eventually it’s put behind for a City goal-kick.
9.09pm BST
65 min: Lucas curves a ball into the area from the right, looking for Ibrahimovic, but Otamendi clears with a diving header. But the ball hits the corner flag and goes behind for a corner. Lucas swerves it in and Silva gets ahead of Sagna and forces Hart to push his downward header behind. That was a superb chance.
9.07pm BST
63 min: PSG break, with City too open, and Lucas lofts a pass down the right for the unmarked Ibrahimovic. The flag stays down but Ibrahimovic can’t make anything of the situation. Short on ideas, he tries to work the ball to the far post for Cavani, but it hits a City defender and runs through to Hart.
9.04pm BST
61 min: Here comes PSG’s second change and it’s a positive one and an obvious one, Javier Pastore replacing Serge Aurier.
9.03pm BST
60 min: Another City corner, won by Aguero this time. De Bruyne’s cross is headed wide by Fernando. With half an hour left, PSG still have two right-backs on the pitch. You can’t be too careful.
9.02pm BST
59 min: From the resulting PSG corner, City break and end up winning a free-kick on the right. De Bruyne flings in a nasty, vicious delivery, but it’s just too close to Trapp.
9.01pm BST
58 min: But now they increase the tempo, Di Mari surging into the City area from the left and dinking a dangerous cross towards the far post. Otamendi has to adjust his body to hook the ball behind for a corner.
9.01pm BST
57 min: Cavani wallops a lazy pass away for a throw. Dearie me. PSG have been really disappointing.
8.59pm BST
56 min: Fernando prods a pass through to the onrushing Sagna, who drives into the PSG area and wins a corner. PSG survive without much fuss.
8.57pm BST
54 min: Lucas puts the ball in the City net, but the flag had long been up for offside against Maxwell after a clever flick from Ibrahimovic.
8.56pm BST
52 min: PSG almost prise City apart but a pass inside from Di Maria is just behind Lucas. He has to check back and find Van der Wiel on the right, and the Dutchman’s low cross is straight at Hart.
8.54pm BST
51 min: City haven’t got going yet. PSG are in charge at the moment. It’s going to get nervy, isn’t it?
8.51pm BST
48 min: Ibrahimovic powers the ball low round the wall, but Hart springs to his right and brilliantly pushes it wide for a corner. That’s an outstanding save.
8.50pm BST
47 min: Another free-kick for PSG in a dangerous position. Fernando is late on Cavani, 25 yards out, and Ibrahimovic will have another go.
8.49pm BST
46 min: Off we go again. City get the second half underway. Do they stick or twist? Are they capable of the former?
8.35pm BST
After a tactically absorbing first half, Manchester City are 45 minutes away from their first Champions League semi-final. But are they going to regret Sergio Aguero’s missed penalty? They could be in an even better position and there’s surely more to come from PSG, who haven’t been great, only forcing Joe Hart into one save from Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s early free-kick. This isn’t over.
8.31pm BST
45 min: There will be three minutes of added time.
8.29pm BST
42 min, the sequel: And now Motta has collapsed to the floor. He’s done. Lucas Moura is getting ready and he might give PSG more thrust in midfield. Motta’s withdrawal could work to PSG’s advantage.
8.27pm BST
42 min: Motta is going to try and run it off.
8.26pm BST
41 min: Di Maria puts the ball out of play so Motta can get some treatment on a hamstring problem. His evening could be over.
8.25pm BST
40 min: PSG are begging to concede. Aurier screws up in possession again, knocking the ball straight to Navas this time, but the Spaniard can only bend his effort wide from 20 yards.
8.24pm BST
38 min: PSG’s cutting edge has been conspicuous only by its absence. I suspect we’ll see Lucas Moura or Javier Pastore come off the bench sooner rather than later. This isn’t really working for them at the moment.
8.22pm BST
37 min: Although the stretcher is on, Aguero gingerly gets to his feet and limps to the touchline. He jogs back on a few seconds later, much to City’s relief.
8.20pm BST
35 min: Aguero is down again. This time he appears to be holding his knee. He seems to have landed awkwardly after challenging for a header with Rabiot.
8.19pm BST
33 min: Aguero is slightly winded after a heavy but fair challenge from Maxwell. He should be fine but it’s not been a great couple of minutes for the City striker.
8.17pm BST
32 min: I think that it was the right decision to book Trapp, by the way. Aguero might have been taking the ball away from goal and it looked like PSG defenders were covering. Then again, I’d have backed Aguero to score.
8.16pm BST
30 min: Of all people. Sergio Aguero steps up confidently, looking like he’s an absolute certainty to give City the lead, and instead he rolls the ball inches wide of the left post! Anything Zlatan can do. What a let-off for PSG. The City fans sound stunned.
8.15pm BST
29 min: The lamentable Serge Aurier gives possession away near his own area - and to Sergio Aguero, of all people! Aguero races through on goal, rounds Kevin Trapp and is sent flying by the PSG keeper’s outstretched leg! Is it going to be a red? No! Trapp is booked, perhaps because PSG defenders were covering back. But what a mistake.
8.14pm BST
28 min: Van der Wiel bursts brilliantly down the right and leaves Clichy on his backside with a lovely turn back on to his left foot. Great play. Unfortunately he can’t kick with his left foot.
8.12pm BST
26 min: A free-kick to City on the left. Silva lifts it high to the far post and when Mangala heads it down, Aurier has to react smartly to hook the ball away in the six-yard box. But still City press. De Bruyne is at the heart of everything good about them and now he carves PSG open with a glorious pass through to Silva on the left. Silva is in behind but his low cutback is deflected behind for a corner which comes to nothing. These are encouraging moments for City, who are maybe realising that PSG might be beatable without Matuidi and Verratti.
8.09pm BST
23 min: De Bruyne exchanges passes with Silva and bursts ominously through the middle, before knocking a ball through to Aguero. From a tight angle on the left, he fizzes a low shot wide of the near post with his first touch. Moments later, Aguero is threatening again. PSG’s attempts to play the ball out from the back lead them into trouble when Ibrahimovic is caught dawdling. Aguero turns, looks up and decides to have a go from 25 yards; his dangerous effort bounces and swerves a yard or so wide of the right post.
8.06pm BST
20 min: PSG concede possession near the halfway line again. Aguero runs at Thiago Silva and wants a free-kick when he claims that the Brazilian is blocking him off. The Spanish referee isn’t interested.
8.02pm BST
16 min: Rabiot skips past Fernando with some neat footwork and the Brazilian swipes him down 30 yards from goal. Ibrahimovic wakes up. He fancies this. He really fancies this. He absolutely larrumps the ball with his right foot. It flies over the wall, wobbles in the air and draws a fine save from Hart, who turns it over the bar. It wasn’t the most difficult of saves as it was pretty central but it was struck with such power. Nothing comes from the resulting corner.
8.00pm BST
15 min: It’s cagey. It’s tense. Not much is happening here. Ibrahimovic has barely had a kick yet. Maybe he’s just biding his time.
7.58pm BST
13 min: On that topic, actually, this helps to explain City’s interest in Ilkay Gundogan. They’re crying out for a midfielder who can dictate play; they’ve never really had one during the Abu Dhabi years, with the possible exception of Nigel de Jong.
7.57pm BST
11 min: PSG are beginning to dominate possession.
7.55pm BST
9 min: It’s not so easy to tell on television, but the BT commentators are perplexed about the lack of atmosphere inside the Etihad.
7.54pm BST
8 min: So much for calming and soothing. PSG gradually move the ball forward, with City failing to put enough pressure on them. They’re able to creep forward - and, suddenly, Di Maria is in space on the edge of the City area. A better through ball from him and Cavani surely scores, but Di Maria overhits a pretty simple ball and Hart is out quickly to smother.
7.52pm BST
7 min: After that initial City burst, PSG are looking to take the sting out of the game, as they enjoy some calming, soothing possession in their own half.
7.50pm BST
5 min: PSG scheme for the first time in City territory, working the ball nicely through midfield and to Di Maria. The move breaks down, though, and it ends with Cavani slamming a pass towards Maxwell out for a goal-kick. “I don’t have a horse in this race but the frugal part of me says I might want to go fill the petrol tank of my car now,” says Peter Oh.
7.49pm BST
3 min: Aurier, who had a poor game last week, dithers in the middle and loses the ball to Aguero, who easily outmuscles the Ivorian out of it. He moves it swiftly to Silva, who shifts it to the right for De Bruyne. On the right of the PSG area, he can’t make anything of a promising position - but City have started at 100 miles an hour here and PSG are looking vulnerable. “If Yaya Toure isn’t in the starting 11, is this analogous to Pellegrini’s hitting him in the face with a birthday cake that Toure never received?” says J. Wade Allen.
7.47pm BST
2 min: City have started on the front foot, Navas skating down the right and trying to cross. His centre is blocked, though, and PSG are able to calm things down.
7.46pm BST
And we’re off! PSG, kicking from right to left in the first half and wearing their black away kits, get the ball rolling. They’re definitely playing three at the back and their new look defence is quickly under pressure, Aguero linking sharply with De Bruyne on the right. The Belgian fizzes a low ball into the area and PSG have to be alert to get it clear.
7.43pm BST
The players are in the tunnel. Zlatan Ibrahimovic is winking. He’s looking calm and collected as the teams emerge at the Etihad, where plenty of flag waving is going on. Once the teams line up, it’s time for the Champions League anthem to be booed. Some people simply have no respect.
7.24pm BST
“Jacob, what will happen if either Mangala or Otamendi have to leave the game?” says Brian Russell. “Move Sagna into the middle? Surely having Demichelis on the bench would be a better option.”
With Di Maria, Ibrahimovic and Cavani around, it’s probably for the best if Demichelis is kept as far away from the pitch as possible.
6.56pm BST
For Manchester City, Nicolas Otamendi has survived a late fitness scare and is fit to start alongside Eliaquim Mangala in central defence after missing training with an ankle problem. Martin Demichelis is nowhere to be seen; help yourselves to a big sigh of relief, City fans. It’s the same team that did so well in Paris last week, with Yaya Toure on the bench and Kevin de Bruyne in the No10 role behind Sergio Aguero. That’s the team I would have picked. Manuel Pellegrini will be pleased to hear that.
As for PSG, Laurent Blanc has gambled. Suspensions and injuries in midfield means that he’s gone for a 3-4-1-2/3-4-3 system, with Gregory van der Wiel and Marquinhos coming in for David Luiz and Blaise Matuidi. There’s no place for Marco Verratti, while Angel di Maria has seemingly been given a free role. Blanc is putting his reputation on the line here.
6.52pm BST
Manchester City: Hart; Sagna, Otamendi, Mangala, Clichy; Fernando, Fernandinho; Navas, De Bruyne, Silva; Aguero. Subs: Caballero, Iheanacho, Bony, Toure, Delph, Kolarov, Zabaleta.
PSG: Trapp; Aurier, Silva, Marquinhos; Van der Wiel, Motta, Rabiot, Maxwell; Di Maria; Cavani, Ibrahimovic. Subs: Sirigu, Kurzawa, Kimpembe, Stambouli, Pastore, Ongenda, Lucas.
6.40pm BST
French journalists do not sound impressed with Blanc’s decision to try a new system.
PSG XI vs. Manchester City: Trapp - Aurier, Silva (c), Marquinhos - VdW, Rabiot, Motta, Maxwell - Di Maria - Ibrahimovic, Cavani. #MCIPSG
6.38pm BST
There are rumours floating around that Laurent Blanc has reacted to the absence of Matuidi and Verratti by switching from 4-3-3 to 3-5-2. Tottenham legend Benjamin Stambouli could be in line for a start. The full teams will be confirmed shortly.
2.23pm BST
Hello. Manchester City have never quite seen eye to eye with the Champions League. Where other sides have embraced the competition, they’ve tended to view the competition suspiciously, as though they aren’t quite sure what the fuss is all about, or they’ve been secretly possessed by the spirit of diplomacy’s Alan Hardaker. The atmosphere is often strange when the Uefa anthem starts up, boos floating around the Etihad, and City have rarely played with their swaggering confidence we so often see from them in the Premier League (when they’re up for it, that is). But something clicked for them last week. Perhaps they were swept along by the air of romance in Paris. Perhaps they were encouraged by the sight of David Luiz klutzing around in the Paris Saint-Germain defence inside the first minute. Perhaps it was just a one-off.
Whatever the answer, making off with a 2-2 draw from the Parc des Princes means that City are in a position of strength as they attempt to secure their passage into their first ever Champions League final. Want a stat? Only 20.6% of teams have recovered from PSG’s position in Uefa club competitions. It’s looking good for City. Hurrah for the Champions League! PSG are without the suspended David Luiz and Blaise Matuidi, while Marco Verratti is likely to miss out with a groin injury. Kevin de Bruyne was excellent last week and the way Laurent Blanc’s side defended must have given Sergio Aguero plenty of encouragement. They’re out of the title race, having let themselves down with a series of underpowered performances that have hardly said much for their character of for the outgoing Manuel Pellegrini’s motivational qualities, and their season hinges on the outcome here, but Pep Guardiola could yet be joining the European champions. Jesus Navas, Fabian Delph and Martin Demichelis could yet be European champions. Hey, it’s possible.
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