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All eyes will be on the Parc des Princes on Tuesday as European powerhouses Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City lock horns in the Champions League once again.
The sides played out a pulsating two-legged semi-final encounter last season in April. There, the Sky Blues came out on top in a 4-1 aggregate victory, having won both legs.
Les Parisiens will obviously have revenge on their minds. Especially, after they have bolstered their squad with a spate of new signings, led by none other than Lionel Messi, in a shock transfer from Barcelona.
Now drawn into Group A together, the French and English giants are favorites to advance into the next round. But it's the battle for top spot which makes their duel worth looking forward to.
Pep Guardiola's troops beat RB Leipzig 6-3 at home in the opening game. Meanwhile the Ligue 1 side were held to a disappointing 1-1 draw by Club Brugge, so the pressure's more on them.
Here's another interesting fact - PSG have never beaten Manchester City in four Champions League games, losing in three of them! Can they finally break the jinx tomorrow?
Ahead of the mouth-watering kick-off, let's look at how these teams stack up in an enticing combined XI: (Formation: 4-3-3)
Goalkeeper: Ederson (Manchester City)
It's a tough call to make between Keylor Navas, Gianluigi Donnarumma and Ederson as all three of them rank among the best goalkeepers in the world.
Navas has been PSG's number one choice in goal since arriving from Real Madrid in 2019. He has been performing consistently for them to register 41 clean sheets in just 70 games in all competitions.
Donnarumma, an Italian legend already at 22 after six illustrious years at AC Milan, is only starting out in Paris.
But their Brazilian counterpart from Manchester City still appears a few notches above the rest, and hence gets the spot here in our combined XI.
Described as a commanding and physically-imposing goalkeeper, Ederson is capable of pulling off excellent reflex saves. He is hailed for his outstanding distribution skills too.
He boats a frankly insane record of 100 clean sheets in 200 games for Manchester City - that's an average of one clean sheet every two games! That in itself tells you what a prolific custodian he is.
Against Paris Saint-Germain, probably led by the fearsome attacking trio of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar, his skills will be put through the wringer.
Right-back: Achraf Hakimi (PSG)
Is there anyone better right now? Since leaving Real Madrid, the Moroccan has transformed into a beast, impressing with Borussia Dortmund. He then firmly established himself among the best at Inter Milan under Antonio Conte's tutelage.
Now at PSG, Hakimi has merely continued from where he left off. With three goals and two assists, he's brought so much dynamism, creativity and goal-threats to their right side that City will have a hard time defending against him.
Centre-back: Ruben Dias (Manchester City)
Perhaps after Virgil van Dijk, the biggest impact a defender has made at his club is Ruben Dias. He's transformed City into a mean outfit following his big-money arrival from Benfica. He even helped them to the league title with a runners-up finish in the Champions League last season.
Strong in the air, positionally excellent, and possessing excellent distribution skills, the Portuguese star is a complete defender. He kept the likes of Mbappe and Neymar quiet when the sides clashed in April and will be tasked with doing the same once more on Tuesday.
Centre-back: Marquinhos (PSG)
Make no mistake, John Stones was a cut above the rest last season. He forged a stoic partnership with Dias that helped City launch their Premier League title charge. But his injury woes this season mean he's yet to make an appearance for them.
Marquinhos, on the other hand, missed the first three games with fitness issues and has only returned to plug the holes in PSG's defense. In fact, the side went from conceding an average of 1.67 goals per game without him to just 0.4 with him.
Tells you how important the Brazilian centre-back is to them.
Left-back: Joao Cancelo (Manchester City)
As good as PSG's right side of the defense is, their left leaves a lot to be desired. With all three of their options - Layvin Kurzawa, Nuno Mendes and Juan Bernat - either struggling with injuries or lack of form, Joao Cancelo doesn't have much competition here.
Renowned for his speed, dribbling skills, creativity and crossing ability, the Portuguese is a reckoning force at full-back. He was on target against RB Leipzig on matchday one. He delivered another masterclass in the weekend's victory over Chelsea.
PSG are going to have their hands full against the in-form Cancelo.
Right-midfielder: Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City)
Riyad Mahrez has been on the fringes so far in the 2021-22 season, but don't let that eclipse the fact that he's still a top-class winger. The Algerian was arguably their best player in the run-up to the Champions League finals last season. He netted some important goals along the way, including three against PSG.
A quick, creative, and technically gifted player with incredible balance and a turn of pace, Mahrez is also a prolific creator. He is capable of producing a chance out of nothing with one brilliant cross or a defense-splitting pass. Last season alone, he made nine assists across all competitions.
The 30-year-old's match-winning ability and prowess in big games merits his inclusion over many other stars such as Raheem Sterling and Phil Foden. Regardless of his limited playing time so far, he might come into the XI with Guardiola trusting the former Leicester City man to step up once again.
Defensive midfielder: Fernandinho (Manchester City)
Fernandinho may no longer be the reckoning force in midfield he once was, but the Brazilian is still important to Guardiola's plans. He's their battering ram tasked with breaking down opposition attacks, whilst providing excellent cover for the back-four.
A defensive midfielder with a box-to-box style of play, the 36-year-old's expansive passing range allows him to create goalscoring opportunities too. He also chips in with an odd goal or two.
He signed a new one-year contract in the summer and is probably playing his final season with the Sky Blues, so will be looking to bow out on a high.
Left-midfielder: Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)
The Premier League's best playmaker by a mile, Kevin De Bruyne, has broken records by the dozens since joining Manchester City in 2015.
Despite a good first season under Manuel Pellegrini, the Belgian only got better under Guardiola. He has become the chief driving factor behind everything the side has accomplished in the last five years.
Widely described as a 'complete' player for his all-round abilities, De Bruyne's creative skills are a cut above the rest. He packs technique, skill, athleticism, ball-control, vision and a proficient crossing ability.
He's a natural set-piece taker too, delivering excellent free-kicks and corners, whilst scoring directly from dead-ball too sometimes. De Bruyne has scored thrice in four games against PSG, a record he'll be looking to polish further on Tuesday.
Right-winger: Lionel Messi (PSG)
We still have to get used to seeing Messi in a shirt different to Barcelona's. His time in Paris so far has offered no great shakes. A couple of bland cameos and injuries have kept the Argentine maestro from opening his scoring account for his new club.
But the prospect of facing City might just be the tonic he needs to kick into gear. Messi just loves playing against them, having scored six times from as many games in the past, including a stunning hat-trick in 2016.
His participation on Tuesday was doubtful after the star picked up a knock in the left knee. But training pictures suggest Messi is alright and might as well start the match, which is never good news for City.
Striker: Kylian Mbappe (PSG)
PSG's boy wonder Kylian Mbappe is our man to lead this all-star XI, and why not? The 22-year-old is a once-in-a-generation talent whose accomplishments for club and country would put seasoned professionals to shame.
He is an immensely gifted youngster who also boasts electric speed and excellent ball control. The Frenchman is terrifying to defend against on the break and possesses the capability to score peaches from various angles.
With 42 goals netted last season, the World Cup-winning Frenchman has merely continued from where he left off. He has scored and assisted four times each in all competitions, and will be fancying his chances against the Sky Blues too, who kept him quiet in their last meeting.
Left-winger: Neymar (PSG)
Completing our all-PSG front-three is Neymar, a bonafide star of the game. He combines pace with eye-catching trickery and has been a creative talisman for Les Parisiens on big Champions League nights, whilst also popping up with a goal or two.
The Brazilian ace still has the odd theatrics in him, but has managed to win over his critics by performing consistently since last year and keeping himself fit. With his buddy Messi now by his side, we have a new and exciting attacking triumvirate to look forward to.
Can they blow Guardiola's free-scoring side away?
