Champions League: The Time Is Now for PSG and the Sky Blues

PSG vs Manchester City

Champions League action arrives at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday for a clash between two teams we expected to be coasting through to the knockouts by now.

But Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City still have work to do and both are in danger of making an early exit. Sitting 25^th in the league table, Luis Enrique’s PSG are actually below the line of unseeded knockout places and are actually in the elimination group of the bottom 12 teams. They have picked up just seven points from six games and, after this clash with the Sky Blues, they have a final match away to VfB Stuttgart, also on seven. 

It doesn’t look so much better for Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City; three places higher in 22^nd. But the Sky Blues’ eight points at least has them in the group which can progress and they have a kinder final fixture at home to Club Brugges next week. Both teams come into the game on the back of a league victory, PSG winning by the odd goal in three away to Lens while Manchester City had a statement 6-0 win away to Ipswich Town. 

As my SBOTOP colleague James points out, under the old Champions League format both PSG and Manchester City would have already crashed out…but they live to fight again.   

 

Talking Points

No Kvaradona for Paris

PSG have made an eye-catching move in the transfer market with the signing of Napoli winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. The 23 year old Georgian star played a huge role in Napoli’s successful 2023 Scudetto campaign and he has been in fine form again this term. But, while he hasn’t played in the Champions League this year, Kvaratskhelia won’t be able to help his new team-mates either on Wednesday or against Stuttgart, as clubs can only field players who were registered with UEFA before the September 3^rd deadline. If PSG make it through to the knockouts then their new player, nicknamed ‘Kvaradona’ in Naples in recognition of similarities to the Partenopei legend Diego Maradona, will be able to play.

Without him the Parisiens have been ticking along nicely at home and Bradley Barcola was the star of the show in a 2-1 win away to RC Lens at the weekend, with a goal and an assist, and he is sure to line up against the Sky Blues. PSG fans will hope their new star will have the chance to make some Champions League 2025 highlights of his own; but his team-mates need to get a result on Wednesday or in Stuttgart the following week.   

 

Are Manchester City back?

Well, we never expected Manchester City to struggle as much as they did during the latter part of 2025 and I for one thought the strife would have ended sooner but, with four wins in the last five, in all competitions, maybe normal service has finally been resumed. It’s not simply the fact the Sky Blues are winning again, more so the style in which they are winning, scoring 22 goals and conceding three. And in their Sunday visit to Suffolk there was evidence that even the City swagger may be returning.     

Erling Haaland celebrated his new mega contract with a goal in the rout of the Tractor Boys on Sunday while Phil Foden continued his return to form with a brace and Kevin De Bruyne made three assists. Those three names have struck fear in the hearts of opponents for years and, after a short hiatus, they could inspire the Sky Blues to a spectacular revival at home and in Europe. The Premier League has almost certainly gone, with Liverpool 12 points ahead of Pep Guardiola’s men, but they have a nice draw in the FA Cup fourth round, away to Leyton Orient. And, in the Champions League, if they do manage to avoid the elimination positions, which they should, then who’d bet against a rejuvenated City going on a run?

The latest Champions League 2025 betting odds rate the Sky Blues as fifth favourites to win the title as we speak; watch them shoot back towards the top if they beat PSG on Wednesday.

 

History

Manchester City have had a successful run against Paris Saint-Germain with four wins and two draws from their six meetings but on their last trip to Paris, in 2021, they lost to goals from Idrissa Gueye and Lionel Messi.

Despite their current European headaches both these teams are in good shape elsewhere, in fact PSG are unbeaten in ten and have won the last eight games while, after a shocking run in November and December the Sky Blues have awakened again and have won four and drawn two of the last six.  

 

Betting Tip

The Parisiens are marginal favourites at a price of 2.36 to win this crucial tie, with the draw at 3.33 but while PSG have been winning they have not always been convincing.  The only victory with a bigger margin than one, over the past six games, was a Coupe de France 4-2 win over fifth tier club Espaly St Marcel, while City have started the blow teams away again. This will be a humdinger of a clash and I have a feeling Pep’s men will carry on their return mission.   

   

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