5 reasons why PSG could struggle against Manchester City | UEFA Champions League 2021-22
In a blockbuster Champions League clash on Tuesday, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) will host Manchester City at the Parc des Princes.
The sides will renew their rivalry just over five months after their last game , when Pep Guardiola's team beat Les Parisiens over in a 4-1 aggregate victory in the semis.
A lot has changed since that game, though, especially in Paris. The Ligue 1 giants have reinforced their squad with a bunch of high-profile signings. Yet that doesn't guarantee anything, and all's not well in the PSG camp. One of their star players is facing a race against time to be fit to face City on Tuesday.
On that note, here are five reasons why PSG could struggle to beat City on Tuesday:
#5 PSG aren't in the best of form right now
In the last few games, PSG have only scraped through a bunch of unconvincing victories. They have largely relied on moments of individual brilliance to get themselves out of tight corners.
Lyon and Metz nearly held PSG to a draw. But stoppage-time goals from Mauro Icardi and Achraf Hakimi respectively, helped secure all three points. Meanwhile, only a late strike from Julian Draxler helped their win over Montpellier.
Despite their perfect start to the league season, such below-par performances suggest not everything is right in Paris right now.
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In a tight match against Metz, @PSG_English were able to get the three points thanks to a late goal
Our match report โฌ๏ธ
en.psg.fr/teams/first-teโฆ
The former Ligue 1 champions were also held to a shock 1-1 draw by Club Brugge, the weakest side in Group A, in their opening Champions League match,
#4 Pep Guardiola's impressive record against Mauricio Pochettino
An underrated factor, but it could play a big role on Tuesday. Make no mistake, both managers are classy and boast stellar reputations. Their on-field accomplishments speak for themselves.
But Pep Guardiola seems to get the better of Mauricio Pochettino almost every time. Of the 20 duels between the two coaches, the Spaniard has come out on top 12 times, losing to his Argentine counterpart only thrice.
12 - Mauricio Pochettino has lost more games against Pep Guardiola than he has vs any other manager in his career (12). Pep Guardiolaโs total of 12 wins vs Pochettino is his joint-most against a manager in his career as a top-flight boss (level with Pellegrini & Dyche). Thorn. https://t.co/9GRDfjpJsm
They go back a long way, right since both these managers' La Liga days. But even at Spurs, where Pochettino truly made a name for himself by transforming the fortunes of the club, he struggled to beat Guardiola.
Even last season, when his PSG team faced City, Guardiola tactically outsmarted Pochettino in both legs as the Sky Blues cruised to a comfortable 4-1 aggregate victory.