PSG v Man City LIVE: Champions League team news, line-ups and more tonight – UK Times

The Parc des Princes looks spectacular as the lights go out and the flames fly, creating a big match feel perhaps not befitting this pair’s currently lowly competition status. Who will take a big step towards the knockout rounds tonight?

It’s 24th against 26th in the battle of the underachievers at a rather damp Parc des Princes. PSG and Manchester City are also two of the big January spenders, albeit when their new signings cannot play until the knockout stages, which one may not reach. PSG are in more danger and a draw may be a good result for City. But Matheus Nunes is used as a makeshift right-back again, pitting him against Bradley Barcola. PSG may like the sound of that.

Luis Enrique played down the pressure ahead of his Paris St Germain side’s potentially pivotal Champions League clash with Manchester City tonight.

Defeat would leave either side in serious danger of missing out on the knockout stages but Enrique has refused to label the contest ‘must-win’.

The PSG manager said: “Why would there be pressure? This team never gives up and fights until the last minute.

“The reality is we should have won the games against PSV (Eindhoven) and Atletico (Madrid). With those (extra) five points we would already be qualifying for the next round.

“But I am very optimistic and confident. Is it a must-win game? The obligation is all the players give 100 per cent, and I take the same attitude every day.

“You can lose games, and that’s life. The most important thing is to be committed.”

Both City and PSG have struggled in the Champions League this season, with PSG 25th on seven points. Guardiola had kind words for PSG coach Luis Enrique, who is his friend.

“I want from the deepest of my heart a horrible performance from PSG tomorrow, so we can beat them, but it will be 95 minutes and afterwards the relation (with Luis Enrique) will return to how it always has been,” he said.

“Our families are really, really close. There are friendships that will be eternal, forever. I love them, I think they love us. We have an incredible connection… We are happy when we can see each other.”

Speaking yesterday in his pre-match press conference, Pep Guardiola was encouraged by the return of Jogn Stones to fitness as blamed fitness problems for some of City’s struggles.

“Step by step the players are coming back and hopefully we can be there in the Premier League and qualify here. Today John came back to the team, that is incredibly good news for us,” Guardiola said.

“We can add to the position that we struggled a lot all season. We could not find our rhythm and the guys who have been with us, I could not demand (a faster return) from them as there was a fear of being injured.

“We could not sustain the intensity that has defined in the past nine years but now hopefully we (can) do it. Now comes the toughest period of the season… the challenge is there, and we go for it.”

Manchester City have been accused of tapping up teenage defender Juma Bah by his club Real Valladolid.

The Spanish side say the 18-year-old and his agent told them on Tuesday he would be unilaterally terminating his contract and that the player from Sierra Leone then failed to report for training on Wednesday morning.

Valladolid say City are “behind this decision” and “advised the player to take this route”.

Valladolid said they were told by the Spanish football federation (RFEF) on Wednesday that the funds needed to activate the termination clause in Bah’s contract had been paid.

A statement from the Spanish top-flight club said they had been placed in a “defenceless position” by City and that they “reserve the right to resort to the appropriate legal and sporting jurisdictions to exercise (our) rights and defend (our) interests.

“The player’s intention, supposedly supported and guided by Manchester City and his agent, has caused great disappointment and indignation within Real Valladolid, who welcomed Juma Bah with open arms and gave him the opportunity of a lifetime,” the statement said.

City have declined to comment.

Bah first moved to Valladolid from AIK Freetong in his home country last summer.

Achraf Hakimi returns for PSG at right back, while Bradley Barcola joins Desire Doue and Lee Kang In up front.

PSG XI: Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Nuno Mendes; Fabian Ruiz, Vitinha, Joao Neves; Barcola, Doue, Lee.

It looks like Matheus Nunes at right back again for Manchester City, with Savinho and Bernardo Silva brought in further forward.

Manchester City XI: Ederson; Nunes, Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol; Kovacic; Savinho, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Foden; Haaland.

Before the line-ups drop, here’s a bit of pre-match reading from senior football correspondent Richard Jolly:

Here’s how the two sides could line up tonight:

PSG XI: Donnarumma; Beraldo, Pacho, Hernandez; Zaire-Emery, Vitinha, Ruiz, Mendes; Barcola, Lee, Doue.

Man City XI: Ederson; Nunes, Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol; Gundogan, Kovacic; Foden, De Bruyne, Savio; Haaland.