Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca has challenged his players to deliver a near-perfect performance when they welcome defending champions Paris Saint-Germain to the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night in a crucial UEFA Champions League encounter.
The 2022-23 champions face the reigning European champions in a highly anticipated league-phase fixture, with both sides looking to maintain their winning starts to the competition and strengthen their position in the race for automatic qualification to the knockout stages.
City enter the contest in confident mood after securing a convincing 3-0 victory over Liverpool at Anfield in the Premier League last weekend. The result provided a significant boost ahead of their European assignment, although Maresca recognises that PSG will present a different level of challenge.
Speaking ahead of the encounter, the City manager acknowledged the quality of the French side and insisted that his players must be at their best to secure all three points.
“The message for tomorrow night is quite easy, in terms of winning the perfect game because they’re the best team in Europe in this moment. They won the last two Champions League so that shows how good they are, so we need the perfect game but at the same time doing our best, I think we can beat them and be happy at the end.”
Enzo Maresca, Manchester City Manager
His comments underline the magnitude of Wednesday’s encounter, with City preparing to test themselves against a side that has established itself among Europe’s elite in recent seasons.
City and PSG Arrive in Winning Form
Both teams have enjoyed encouraging starts to their Champions League campaigns, having won their opening matches of the league phase.
The home side also has a perfect record in all competitions this seasons. Enzo Maresca’s side has won all right games played so far.
City began their European campaign with a 2-0 away victory over FC Porto, demonstrating their ability to collect important points on the road.
PSG, meanwhile, delivered an emphatic statement by defeating Slovan Bratislava 6-1, with their attacking quality on full display.
Furthermore, both sides head into Wednesday’s fixture after registering convincing domestic victories at the weekend.
While City’s triumph at Anfield strengthened their confidence ahead of the meeting, PSG defeated Le Mans 3-1 in Ligue 1, extending their positive momentum.
The encounter presents an opportunity for either side to establish an early advantage in the league-phase standings while making a statement against one of their strongest potential rivals.
Maresca Uncertain About City’s Standing
Despite City’s impressive performance against Liverpool, Maresca was reluctant to declare his team favourites for the Champions League title, particularly given PSG’s recent European achievements.
The Parisian club have demonstrated their ability to compete at the highest level, and the City manager acknowledged that assessing the gap between the two sides remains difficult. “We are, for sure, a good team, no doubt and where we are in this moment compared to PSG? I don’t know,” he admitted.
Maresca added that PSG’s success in winning the previous two Champions League titles demonstrated the quality of their squad, although he remained confident that City could compete with them.
For City, Wednesday’s match will provide a valuable opportunity to measure their progress against the reigning champions. However, the manager’s comments suggest that he expects tactical discipline, concentration and clinical finishing to be essential if his team are to prevail.
History Favours City in Manchester
The two clubs have developed a competitive rivalry in European football, producing several memorable encounters in the Champions League over the past decade.
Their most recent meeting came in January 2025, when PSG recovered from a two-goal deficit to defeat Manchester City 4-2 at the Parc des Princes.
However, City’s record against PSG on home soil offers encouragement ahead of Wednesday’s contest.
The last time the French giants visited Manchester was in November 2021, when City secured a 2-1 victory at the Etihad Stadium during the Champions League group stage. Kylian Mbappe gave PSG the lead before Raheem Sterling equalised, with Gabriel Jesus completing the comeback.
City also eliminated PSG in the 2020-21 Champions League semi-finals, winning 2-1 in Paris before recording a 2-0 victory at the Etihad Stadium to advance to their first final in the competition.
Nevertheless, PSG’s subsequent European success means the French champions will arrive with considerable confidence, setting the stage for another demanding contest.
Beyond the historical rivalry, City will hope their home advantage and recent domestic performance can provide the foundation for another important European victory.
With both sides boasting considerable attacking quality, Wednesday’s encounter promises to be a significant test of their ambitions. For Maresca, the objective is to produce the performance required to overcome Europe’s reigning champions and strengthen City’s position in the competition.
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