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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.
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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.
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.
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.
#3 Potential rift between Neymar and Kylian Mbappe
If you've been following the news lately, then reports of a potential rift between PSG starts Neymar and Kylian Mbappe have been doing the rounds.
Apparently, the Frenchman was caught complaining to Idrissa Gueye on the bench after his substitution in the match to Montpellier about Neymar not passing to him. He also used a derogatory term for the Brazilian, who assisted Draxler for PSG's second goal, indicating that the 22-year-old was really annoyed at Neymar.
Although both players have remained mum about the incident, media speculation of a possible rift between the players ahead of a big European night isn't doing them any good.
Moreover, Mbappe is currently on his worst streak in front of goal in two years. He has failed to score in four consecutive appearances for the first time since September 2019.
#2 Lionel Messi may not start for PSG
As important as it is for him to start the match, Lionel Messi may only be named on the PSG bench against City.
According to reports, the Argentine ace has returned to training from a bone bruise that kept him out of PSG's win over Montpellier last weekend. PSG manager Mauricio Pochettino sounded hopeful in his pre-match press conference when asked about Messi's situation.
Nevertheless, he may not want to risk the ex-Barcelona great, considering a congested list of upcoming fixtures as well as the international break is coming up.
That would certainly be a big loss for PSG, as Messi boasts an incredible record against Man City. He has scored six goals against them in six clashes, including a stunning Camp Nou hat-trick in 2016.
#1 Manchester City's solid defence
PSG's lack of attacking firepower is just one part of the problem. The other is Manchester City's solid defence. Yes, they conceded thrice against RB Leipzig, with hat-trick hero Christopher Nkunku running riot. But that surely won't happen all the time, will it?
Barring that crazy game, the Sky Blues have only conceded twice in six games since their opening day loss to Tottenham Hotspur. Even the mighty Chelsea were blanked out on Saturday.
Although John Stones will only be returning from an injury this week, Manchester City have benefitted from the stoic partnership of Aymeric Laporte and Ruben Dias. The likes of Ederson and Rodri have also been immensely impressive.
It seems PSG aren't going to have it any easier scoring against City this time.
