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Luis Enrique and Pep Guardiola, managers of PSG and Manchester City, respectively.
Fratricidal Clash Between Luis Enrique and Guardiola

Fratricidal Clash Between Luis Enrique and Guardiola

PSG and Manchester City, two giants born from petrodollars, need a win to stay alive in the Champions League

Daniel Panero

Martes, 21 de enero 2025, 16:26

Victory is the only option. There is no other choice for PSG and Manchester City this Wednesday at the Parc des Princes. Both giants, born from petrodollars, face a crucial clash if they want to remain alive in the Champions League. Luis Enrique's side are out of the playoff spots for the round of 16, while Guardiola's team are on the brink of elimination from Europe as they also struggle in England. It is a crucial encounter, a turning point for two projects created with the aim of reigning in the Old Continent.

Both teams were built with the goal of winning the Champions League, but the reality after six matchdays is starkly different. They have been inconsistent, have given up the chance to reach the knockout stages directly, and are now forced into a do-or-die match. "I hope the most important match of the season is not tomorrow's, but one where we are playing for a title. No one could predict that City and PSG would be in this situation; as of today, we don't know how many points we will need," Luis Enrique clarified in the pre-match conference.

Beyond predictions, the situation hits a PSG with seven points and a City with just one more. Luis Enrique knows this, and he will seek refuge in the warmth of the Parc des Princes, where, however, he has only secured one Champions League victory this season, and in a lineup with no experiments. The Asturian coach will have all his players available except for the injured Mbaye and will field a lineup featuring all his stars, with Kvaratskhelia waiting for his chance on the bench.

Facing them is a team that can no longer afford any more slip-ups. In a week that has seen signings like Khusanov and Vitor Reis, Guardiola's side must avoid another stumble. Winning means securing a playoff spot and avoiding a final showdown in the last matchday against Bruges. To achieve this, Pep must overcome the absences of Aké, Stones, and especially Rodri. The long-term absence of the Madrid player affects a lineup where Kovacic, Bernardo Silva, Foden, and De Bruyne must deliver quality balls to Savinho and Haaland, the main threat to PSG.

PSG: Donnarumma, Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes, Zaire-Emery, Vitinha, Neves, Dembelé, Gonçalo Ramos, and Barcola.

Manchester City: Ortega, Matheus Luiz, Akanji, Aké, Gvardiol, Silva, Kovacic, Foden, De Bruyne, Savinho, and Haaland.

Referee: Szymon Marciniak (Poland).

Stadium and time: Parc des Princes 21:00 / Movistar Liga de Campeones.

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