Paris Saint-Germain's coach Mauricio Pochettino is concerned about Lionel Messi's recent knee injury. However, according to the latest reports, Lionel Messi is working hard and will most likely start against Manchester City in a Champions League match on Wednesday (September 29). On the other side, Manchester City have shown signs of regaining their best form after defeating Chelsea in this week's Premier League match. The game will take place at Parc des Princes in Paris and will start at 1 a.m. (Bangladesh Standard Time). The match preview and prediction of PSG vs. Man City are discussed in this article.

Probable Team Lineups: PSG vs. Man City

Ilkay Gundogan, Oleksandr Zinchenko, and John Stones are all doubtful for the PSG match. It's unclear if they will be able to recover in time for the big match. Apart from them, all of Man City's players are ready to start against PSG.

Probable Playing XI (Man City): 

Ederson (GK), Kyle Walker (RB), Ruben Dias (CB), Aymeric Laporte (CB), Joao Cancelo (LB), Rodri (DM), Bernardo Silva (CM), Kevin De Bruyne (CM), Riyad Mahrez (RW), Jack Grealish (LW), Ferran Torres (FW)

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Paris Saint-Germain are dealing with a number of injuries. They will be without a number of important players for the matchup against Manchester City. Italian midfielder Marco Verratti and veteran Spanish defender Sergio Ramos are among them. Argentine attacking midfielder Angel Di Maria will be unavailable for selection due to a suspension. However, PSG have the depth in their squad to field a strong starting lineup against Man City.

Probable Playing XI (PSG): 

Gianluigi Donnarumma (GK), Achraf Hakimi (RB), Marquinhos (CB), Presnel Kimpembe (CB), Abdou Diallo (LB), Idrissa Gueye (CM), Leandro Paredes (CM), Ander Herrera (CM), Lionel Messi (RW), Neymar (LW), Kylian Mbappe (FW) 

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Head-to-Head: PSG vs. Man City

Both teams have faced each other five times, with Manchester City winning the head-to-head duel with three wins.

On the other side, PSG, have only won one game and one match ended in a draw. Manchester City have won all of their encounters against PSG in the Champions League, while PSG have won a Europa League match against Man City.

PSG have never beaten Man City at Parc des Princes. On the other hand, Man City won a match against PSG in Paris.

Read:Record-Breaker Lionel Messi Can Guide PSG to Champions League Crown

Prediction: Paris Saint-Germain vs. Manchester City

Paris Saint-Germain will start the encounter against Manchester City as a slight favorite given the fact that the match will be held in Paris.

Manchester City will also have a strong chance against PSG after winning a challenging Premier League match against Chelsea on Saturday (September 25). Beating the reigning European champion gives Man City a huge boost in confidence. Pep Guardiola's team found the proper combination to make things difficult for Chelsea. They will try to use the same tactics in the next Champions League match against PSG.

PSG have plenty of attacking options. They may go all-in against the attacking-minded Manchester City side. Pochettino might opt to play it safe and avoid losing the match at home. Because a defeat for Paris Saint-Germain would be humiliating. A 4-3-3 formation will be PSG's preferred option. However, they may switch to a 4-2-3-1 system for more defensive solidity.

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On the other hand, Manchester City may not want to risk losing possession of the ball since PSG have the best offensive trio in the world. Man City could use two defensive midfielders to make things difficult for Messi, Neymar, and Mbappe. Manchester City's best formation could be 3-2-3-2, although they can also play 4-2-3-1 if required. Manchester City will not be dissatisfied if they draw against PSG.

Prediction: 

PSG 2-1 Man City   

Verdict

With Messi, Neymar, and Mbappe up front, Paris Saint-Germain are the favorites in the PSG vs. Man City Champions League encounter. Moreover, the match will take place at PSG's home ground, Parc des Princes. The Parisians will support their team at the stadium, motivating PSG's players to perform better against a formidable Manchester City team. On the other side, the Citizens are a top European team and one of the favorites to win the Champions League 2021-2022 season. Pep Guardiola's team will surely put Mauricio Pochettino’s PSG side to the test in this encounter. Overall, it will be a fascinating contest to watch.

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