PSG 4–2 at the Etihad, and Luis Enrique nearly threw it away
Manchester City 2–4 Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Wednesday. Luis Enrique was up 3–0 at the break and hated it. "Je n'aime pas mener de trois buts à la mi-temps, parce que tu penses que le match est gagné. Et un match de ce niveau n'est jamais gagné avant le coup de sifflet final! On a beaucoup souffert en seconde période, ils ont mérité de marquer. Avec un peu moins de chance, on aurait pu perdre" (4). He said it again to RMC: with a bit less luck, PSG lose that game (6). City's second half was real. It was not enough.
Enzo Maresca also spoke after the defeat (4).
PSG have not lost to an English club in ten Champions League games
City are the latest English side PSG have avoided losing to. That run now stands at ten Champions League matches (7). Not a one-off night at the Etihad.
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Haaland scored twice and passed Messi
Erling Haaland scored twice in the 4–2 and reached 61 Champions League goals in only 60 games (1). He is now City's all-time top scorer in European football (1). The goals came on a night City lost, which is the part that stings.
Fans want answers on the Cherki call and the late penalty
Supporters are furious about the refereeing. Rayan Cherki went down in the ninth minute and got nothing, then Nuno Mendes won a penalty late on. One fan put it bluntly: "Cherki se fait démonter le pied d'appui à la 9e minute sans rien, mais Mendes obtient un penalty sur un souffle en fin de match? La VAR est une blague absolue" (5). Désiré Doué, Ousmane Dembélé and Marquinhos are all named in the fallout (5).
Zaïre-Emery ran the midfield for PSG
Warren Zaïre-Emery, 20, got the nod ahead of Joao Neves in PSG's midfield and was praised across the French press after the 4–2 win at the Etihad (3). The line doing the rounds: "Ce joueur, c'est du pain béni" (3).
Guardiola back at the Etihad, and the fans answered
Pep Guardiola returned to the Etihad 144 days later, a public show of support for Khaldoon Al Mubarak and Ferran Soriano (8). The supporters' message in reply: "CTID" (8).
City offered €100m for Pavlovic, he said no
City were ready to put €100m on the table for Bayern Munich's Aleksandar Pavlovic. He turned it down (2). The report says he felt honoured by the interest and considered the move before declining (2). City moved on to Enzo Fernandez and Ayyoub Bouaddi instead (2).
Ipswich at home on Saturday, then AEK Athens
Ipswich Town visit the Etihad on Saturday at 16:00 CEST (Premier League). AEK Athens come in the Champions League on Tuesday, October 20 at 21:00 CEST. Then Aston Villa away on Saturday, October 24 at 13:30 CEST.
