PSG v Manchester City Betting Tip Both teams to score, 2016-04-06

Both teams can find the way to goal in Paris

Champions League Tips

Wednesday 6th April 2016 Kickoff: 1945hrs
PSG v Manchester City
Football – Champions League – Europe

Having eliminated the current champions of England in the previous round, PSG are faced with another opponent from the Premier League in the shape of Manchester City. Neither of these teams have ever reached a Champions League semi-final (City are actually contesting their first quarter-final) so both will be hopeful of making their own piece of history in what will be a battle of the billionaire owners. This will be just the second ever meeting between the two clubs and much has changed at both since they met in the 2008/09 UEFA Cup.

Following their comfortable aggregate success over Chelsea in the round of last-16, PSG firmly cemented them as a real European force. Their progress has been gradual having reached this stage in each of the last four seasons, but that consistency is key to establishing the club at the forefront of European football with the next challenge being making the semi-finals before ultimately winning the competition and becoming champions. That’s the aim for the owner and the match with Man City certainly represents their best chance of going one step further, at least. Barcelona have accounted for them in two of the last three seasons whilst they were a touch unfortunate to lose out to Chelsea two years ago. For the first time ever, though, they are now expected to win their quarter-final tie and have to deal with the pressure of being favourites. That did not pose any problems for against Chelsea and such is the confidence that surrounds the squad at the moment, it would be foolish to think it will be an issue over these two legs.

It’s new territory here on in for Manchester City and the majority of their squad, but Manuel Pellegrini has of course led Villareal as far as the semi-finals and Malaga to this stage earlier in his career. He will have to call upon all that experience as he bids to end his time at the Etihad on a high with Pep Guardiola all set to take over in the summer. It has been a largely forgettable season for City, even although they won the League Cup. A hugely inconsistent league campaign means they are struggling to finish in the top four despite being favourites for the title, meaning the Champions League has been their main focus for some time now. Having been knocked out by Barcelona in the last two years at the stage previous to this, it’s something a bonus avoiding the Catalans and having a more realistic chance of progressing. They remain underdogs in this tie, however, and will have to be at their very best if they are to get past PSG. Their win over Dynamo Kiev was achieved by an impressive away performance before going through the motions in the return at home. Pellegrini will know only too well that this represents another step up.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has already announced that this will be his final season in Paris as he looks to end his career elsewhere. The Swedish sensation has been a marvellous servant at the Parc des Princes and would love nothing more than to bow out with his first ever Champions League winners medal. Despite having played for multiple clubs who can lay claim to being European champions, Zlatan has never been at the club when they have won it. He has missed it by a year at both Inter Milan and Barcelona, which would have been incredibly frustrating, and whilst it would still be something of a surprise if he was to do it this year, the form he’s currently in will go a long way to helping his team-mates make his dream a reality. He notched a hat-trick in Ligue 1 on Saturday taking his tally for the season to 30 goals and all but guaranteed to record his best ever season total during his time at PSG.

Pellegrini has had a mixed injury news in the build-up to this game with Joe Hart recovering quicker than expected to take his place in goals but Yaya Toure will be missing from the first leg. Although the midfielder has not been at his best this season, he’s one of only a couple of players who have experienced this stage of the competition and his presence will be missed against a combative PSG midfield. City fans will be delighted that their manager is able to call upon Kevin de Bruyne again as the Belgian returned to the team on Saturday having been out for the past couple of months. His influence in attack has been sorely missed, as his comeback goal evidenced against Bournemouth. The understanding he has with Sergio Aguero and David Silva is there for all to see and could be pivotal for City in these games against PSG.

PSG v Manchester City Betting Tips

When you get to this stage of the Champions League there is rarely a poor game but this game has the makings of something very special. Whilst it is unlikely that these two will go on to win the competition, in my opinion, both like to play a similar brand of football and have a plethora of attacking options at their disposal. PSG were very good against Chelsea both home and away but it’s fair to say that this opponent has more attacking threat and should take more advantage of the chances that PSG so often afford. On the flip side, City are vulnerable in defence and could have conceded more than the one goal they did when in Kiev.

I think this game is set up perfectly to be open and entertaining with plenty of goals. All seven of PSG’s home games in the knockout stages of this competition over the last four seasons have seen both teams scoring and that trend should continue tomorrow. City only really know how to play one way and Pellegrini has stated that his team will be going all out for the away goal and trying to take the game to their opponents ahead of the return in six days time. Back both teams to score and sit back and enjoy what could be a classic.

Both teams to score 5/6 @ 888sport