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Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has predicted the outcome of the UEFA Champions League semi-final tie between Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City. The former defender believes the French champions will progress to the final of the continental competition at the expense of Pep Guardiola's team.
Both PSG and Manchester City have been in dominant form this season. While the French champions are just one point behind Ligue 1 leaders Lille, the Citizens are 10 points clear at the top of the Premier League table.
Rio Ferdinand, who feels that PSG's attacking talent should get them past Manchester City, also thinks Mauricio Pochettino's side are the more experienced side of the two at the business end of the Champions League. The 42-year-old told Vibe with Five:
"I think Paris Saint-Germain will win it. They have the experience of last season, two strikers, the business end of the season they know what it’s about now. They’ve been here together, they’re not fazed and I think they’ll have the experience. Pochettino comes up smelling of roses after a turbulent couple of years."
Ferdinand thinks Pochettino will be considered a PSG legend if he helps the club to the Champions League title this season.
"I don’t think they’ll care if he doesn’t win the league. If he wins the Champions League then he’s outdone everyone because that’s what they are here for. Don’t forget, he’s only come in halfway through the season. His fingerprints ain’t all over that league. He might get treated like Roberto Di Matteo: win the Champions League and then gets told to do one, you never know, we’ll see. But my guess is that if he wins the Champions League they’re giving him a statue outside that place almost," Ferdinand added.
Pochettino left Tottenham back in January to succeed Thomas Tuchel at PSG. Tuchel then took charge of Chelsea and has guided the Premier League giants to the Champions League semi-finals. If PSG beat Manchester City, they will face their former manager in the final, provided Chelsea also emerge victorious against Real Madrid in the other semi-final.
Both PSG and Manchester City have stuttered of late
Both PSG and Manchester City have lost two of their last seven games, winning the other five. The two teams will head into Wednesday's Champions League semi-final first leg in similar veins of form.
With both teams boasting players who can single-handedly overturn the outcome of any game, it makes for an exciting Champions League semi-final contest.
