Manchester City produced a superb display to come from behind and take control of their Champions League semi-final with victory against Paris St-Germain in France.
Pep Guardiola’s side fought their way through a scintillating early PSG surge when they fell behind to Marquinhos’ header, glanced in from Angel di Maria’s corner after 15 minutes, to dominate after the break and turn this first leg tie in Paris on its head.
City, who had threatened before the break when Phil Foden missed a great chance, were much more positive and got the reward they deserved after 64 minutes when Kevin de Bruyne’s menacing cross evaded everyone in the penalty area and drifted beyond motionless PSG keeper Kaylor Navas.
PSG, with Neymar fading and Kylian Mbappe subdued, were ragged and Riyad Mahrez put City in a great position to reach their first Champions League final when his left-foot free-kick went through the wall to beat Navas seven minutes later.
And to complete PSG’s misery, former Everton midfield man Idrissa Gueye was rightly shown a red card late on for a dreadful challenge on Ilkay Gundogan.
Man City’s dream comes closer
Manchester City have craved triumph in the Champions League as confirmation they are a European superpower – and this magnificent display brings that ambition closer than it has ever been before.
The Premier League leaders had to show all their qualities before finally overpowering their hosts, who ran out of steam after showing real class in the first half, with Neymar and Di Maria pulling the strings.
Ruben Dias and John Stones were prominent as City held firm in the first half, while after the break, as they showed greater ambition, Joao Cancelo and Kyle Walker carried real attacking threat, and the visitors played with enormous maturity as they pinned PSG back in their own half.
Their menace grew throughout and it was no surprise when De Bruyne levelled then Mahrez put them ahead – indeed PSG ended so beaten and disorganised they may almost feel grateful they only lost 2-1.
City’s Champions League history is littered with disappointments in the latter stages of the tournament, often mired in tactical confusion or ill-luck – not so here.
Those experiences mean they will take nothing for granted when this dangerous PSG side come to Etihad Stadium in six days but City have never been in better shape to reach a Champions League final.
More to follow.
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Paris Saint Germain
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Squad number1Player nameNavas
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Squad number24Player nameFlorenzi
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Squad number5Player nameMarquinhos
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Squad number3Player nameKimpembe
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Squad number25Player nameBakker
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Squad number27Player nameGueye
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Squad number8Player nameParedes
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Squad number6Player nameVerratti
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Squad number11Player nameDi María
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Squad number7Player nameMbappé
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Squad number10Player nameNeymar
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Squad number15Player nameDanilo Pereira
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Squad number21Player nameHerrera
Manchester City
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Squad number11Player nameZinchenko
Line-ups
PSG
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Navas
- 24Florenzi
- 5Marquinhos
- 3Kimpembe
- 25Bakker
- 27GueyeBooked at 77mins
- 8ParedesBooked at 70minsSubstituted forHerreraat 83′minutes
- 6Verratti
- 11Di MaríaSubstituted forDaniloat 80′minutes
- 7Mbappé
- 10NeymarBooked at 74mins
Substitutes
- 4Kehrer
- 9Icardi
- 12Rafinha
- 15Danilo
- 16Rico
- 18Kean
- 19Sarabia
- 20Kurzawa
- 21Herrera
- 22Diallo
- 23Draxler
- 31Dagba
Man City
Formation 4-3-3
- 31Ederson
- 2Walker
- 5Stones
- 3Rúben Dias
- 27CanceloBooked at 31minsSubstituted forZinchenkoat 61′minutes
- 20Bernardo Silva
- 16Rodri
- 8Gündogan
- 26Mahrez
- 17De BruyneBooked at 86mins
- 47Foden
Substitutes
- 6Aké
- 7Sterling
- 9Gabriel Jesus
- 10Agüero
- 11Zinchenko
- 13Steffen
- 14Laporte
- 21Torres
- 22Mendy
- 25Fernandinho
- 50García
- 85Trafford
Live Text
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Match ends, Paris Saint Germain 1, Manchester City 2.
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Second Half ends, Paris Saint Germain 1, Manchester City 2.
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Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by Ander Herrera.
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Attempt blocked. Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
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Foul by Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City).
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Marco Verratti (Paris Saint Germain) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Ilkay Gündogan (Manchester City).
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Ander Herrera (Paris Saint Germain) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Bernardo Silva (Manchester City).
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Ander Herrera (Paris Saint Germain) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Rodrigo (Manchester City).
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Ander Herrera (Paris Saint Germain) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Ilkay Gündogan (Manchester City).
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Neymar (Paris Saint Germain) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Attempt saved. Phil Foden (Manchester City) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
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Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Foul by Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City).
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Danilo Pereira (Paris Saint Germain) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Attempt missed. Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right.
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Substitution, Paris Saint Germain. Ander Herrera replaces Leandro Paredes.
Article courtesy of BBC Sport
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