Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City meet at the Parc des Princes in arguably the most important game across matchday seven of the league phase in the Champions League on Wednesday night.
Many would have expected this to be a dead rubber at the beginning of the competition, but it has since taken on huge importance for both after dreadful starts on the continent.
Match preview
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Despite winning away to Red Bull Salzburg on matchday six, PSG still find themselves in a perilous position ahead of facing the Premier League champions this week.
Luis Enrique's men remain outside the top 24, just one place below it on seven points, with the Salzburg win seeing them register as many wins and score as many goals as they had managed in their previous seven Champions League games.
Four points is the absolute minimum requirement if they want to be assured of a playoff place, because a defeat here will leave it out of their hands before travelling to Stuttgart on the final matchday.
However, confidence has been restored by that Salzburg win, because after going three games without victory, they have since won eight straight matches since their visit to Austria.
PSG were handed one of the toughest draws of any team in the league phase, having to face Bayern Munich, Arsenal, Atletico Madrid and now Man City, but taking just one point against the three of them prior to this week is still massively disappointing.
Enrique saw his side come from behind to beat Lens 2-1 at the weekend to extend that impressive winning run, and to go nine points clear at the top of Ligue 1, so with the title all but secured, they must now ensure their European campaign does not end before the spring.
The Parisians have only won of their seven meetings with Man City, but that came in their last meeting at the Parc des Princes, winning 2-0 despite registering just six shots all evening - the lowest in a home match in their Champions League history.
Manager Enrique also has a fine record against his opposite number Pep Guardiola, losing just two of their five previous clashes, and being one of only two managers (along with Jurgen Klopp) to have beaten the City boss by three or more goals on multiple occasions.
City's season has played out in a similar fashion to PSG's, with a dismal start in Europe also crossing over into their league form, but they now appear back on track after four wins in five games.
After losing just three games in 28 on the road in the Champions League, City have now lost back-to-back away games, their worst run since the 2011-12 season, going down to Sporting Lisbon and Juventus, hugely damaging their chances of making it through.
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However, after thumping Salford City 8-0 in the FA Cup last weekend, City then took Ipswich Town to the cleaners at Portman Road on Sunday, mercilessly hitting the Tractor Boys for six in the Premier League.
Guardiola's men did throw two points away at Brentford in between those two victories though, suggesting that a late title surge is beyond them, placing even greater importance on advancing in this competition.
That became evidently clear on Sunday, when Guardiola rang the changes on the hour mark with City 5-0 up, even substituting Erling Haaland when the opportunity for more goals was there for their top scorer.
City enter matchday seven just inside the playoff places, one point above PSG, but they could be overtaken by both Stuttgart and PSV Eindhoven before they play, as both have winnable fixtures on Tuesday.
A 4-1 thrashing at Sporting, a calamitous collapse at home to Feyenoord, and a dismal display in Turin against Juve has put City in this position, after they had taken seven points from their first three games.
City's only wins have come against minnows Slovan Bratislava, and fellow pot-four outfit Sparta Prague, and even though a win against Club Brugge on matchday eight is expected, and should be enough to progress, losing here would make that encounter extremely nervy for the home crowd.
Team News
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PSG will be sweating over the fitness of defensive pairing Marquinhos and Achraf Hakimi, who have both been absent throughout January, while Ousmane Dembele has also missed the last two games through illness, but should return.
New signing Khvicha Kvaratskhelia will not be available for the remainder of the league phase, with PSG only able to register him to their Champions League squad ahead of the knockout stages, but the Georgian will have a tough task in forcing his way into the team over the in-form Bradley Barcola.
Enrique has a big call to make up front too, with big-money signings Goncalo Ramos and Desire Doue both tussling for a start, but the latter is most likely to get the nod.
Man City were without Nathan Ake at the weekend due to a minor muscle problem, and are still being cautious with John Stones, who has been recovering from an ankle problem recently, so Manuel Akanji and Ruben Dias may start again.
Like Kvaratskhelia at PSG, any new signings for City will not be eligible to play in their final two league phase fixtures, so Omar Marmoush and Abdukodir Khusanov will have to make do with domestic fixtures only for the time being after their signings are announced.
Rodri remains the only long-term injury concern for City, with Oscar Bobb now back in full training after breaking his leg on the eve of the season.
Paris Saint-Germain possible starting lineup:
Donnarumma; Hakimi, Pacho, Hernandez, Nuno Mendes; Zaire-Emery, Vitinha, Fabian Ruiz; Dembele, Doue, Barcola
Manchester City possible starting lineup:
Ederson; Lewis, Ruben Dias, Akanji, Gvardiol; Bernardo Silva, Kovacic, De Bruyne; Foden, Haaland, Savinho
We say: Paris Saint-Germain 1-2 Manchester City
Once City get back into their groove, they are a formidable opponent for anybody, and when push comes to shove, they usually deliver, and they will fancy their chances of virtually confirming a playoff place this week with a game to spare.
PSG will be no pushovers by any means though, despite sitting down in 25th, as their eight-game winning streak shows, but City will be a level above all of the opponents they have faced during that run.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Andrew Delaney
