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Manchester City and PSG will lock horns at the Etihad on Wednesday in an enticing game in the 2021-22 UEFA Champions League.
The Sky Blues will look to avenge their 2-0 loss in Paris in September, although the Ligue 1 giants cannot afford to drop more points. Despite accumulating eight points from four games so far, Mauricio Pochettino's men are a point adrift of their Premier League rivals. A victory in Manchester would put PSG in pole position to win Group A.
That essentially means we have a potential classic on our hands. But the two clubs have had a shared history. A few players in the past have crossed the divide to represent both clubs in their careers. However, Manchester City and PSG have had no direct business with each other since their respective takeovers.
Ahead of the mouth-watering kick-off, let's take a trip down memory lane and look at five players who turned out for both Manchester City and PSG:
#5 Alioune Toure
Fresh off winning the French league double with Nantes, Alioune Toure arrived at Manchester City in 2001 as an up-and-coming 23-year-old midfielder.
However, the switch soon turned into a nightmare. Toure endured a serious injury early in the season that ruled him out for large swathes of the 2001-02 campaign. The Sky Blues won the Championship that year to gain promotion to the Premier League, but Toure moved to PSG in the summer.
Although he managed to keep himself fit and lift the Coupe de France in 2004, Toure's first-team opportunities were limited in the French capital. After two years and 35 games at PSG, he was subsequently loaned out to league rivals Guingamp.
#4 Ali Benarbia
Much like Toure, former Algerian great Ali Benarbia was also a hot prospect when he arrived at PSG. He had led AS Monaco and Bordeaux to Ligue 1 titles in 1997 and 1999, respectively.
In fact, he was also the reigning French Division 1 Player of the Year at the time of his switch to Paris in 1999. Alas, he failed to live up to the hype and left the French capital after two dismal campaigns.
PSG failed to win anything under Benarbia's captaincy, besides a UEFA Intertoto Cup in 2001. That year, he joined Manchester City on a free transfer after two years in the French capital.
In Manchester, he helped City win the Championship with talismanic displays that made him a fan-favourite. His performances that campaign also earned him a place in the 2001-02 Championship Team of the Year.
#3 Sylvain Distin
Former Manchester City player Sylvain Distin is another player who made his mark with smaller teams before a switch to PSG. He took no time to establish himself as a regular in their starting line-up, making 45 appearances in the 2001-02 season.
His stellar performances attracted the attention of Newcastle United, who signed him on loan. Distin then made a big-money move to Manchester City, becoming their most expensive defender at the time.
Over the next five years, Distin established himself as a club legend. He made 206 appearances, and won the club's Player of the Year award in his debut 2002-03 campaign.
#2 George Weah
Here's someone you may remember very well. After all, George Weah was a bonafide star of the sport in his prime; he won the Ballon d'Or award in 1995.
While most of his accomplishments came with AC Milan, Weah first made his mark during three years at PSG. There, he scored 55 times in 138 games across competitions, lifting four titles.
The former Liberian great's post-Milan career failed to hit the same heights, though. The striker was way past his prime by the time he joined Manchester City in 2000, making only nine appearances.
A lack of first-team opportunities saw him leave the English side just two months into his contract. Weah relocated back to France's Division 1 with Marseille in October.
#1 Nicolas Anelka
Nicolas Anelka is arguably the most decorated as well as most journeyed player on this list. He came through the ranks at PSG's academy before making his senior debut in 1996 at the age of just 16.
Although his appearances were limited, the Frenchman's promising displays caught Arsenal's eye. Anelka later also played for Real Madrid, PSG again, and Liverpool.
He joined City from Liverpool in 2002, enjoying his best spell since leaving Arsenal. Anelka netted 45 times in 103 games across competitions, although he didn't win any silverware in three years there.
Anelka plied his trade with a total of 12 different clubs during an illustrious career spanning nearly two decades. He is the latest layer to have represented both City and PSG.
