The UEFA Champions League resumes this midweek, with round 2 of the 2021/22 group stage commencing on Tuesday amid much excitement. As usual, 16 games will be held across the two days, with all eyes being on one particular showdown: PSG vs Man City.
Two of the best teams in Europe will lock horns on Tuesday in a repeat of their thrilling semifinal showdown from last season. The Cityzens emerged triumphant in that previous encounter, winning both home and away to progress to the final and dump Les Parisiens out of the competition, but Pochettino's men will be out for revenge this time around.
Unfortunately, there have been concerns that the French giants would be without marquee summer signing Lionel Messi. The Argentine icon picked up a knee issue during last week's 2-1 win over Lyon, which was confirmed after the game thanks to an MRI scan, thus ruling him out for the subsequent Ligue 1 encounters against Metz and Montpellier while casting a doubt over his availability for the Man City showdown.
Fortunately though, the club have received a huge boost in his road to recovery. According to Marca, the six-time Ballon d'Or winner, who has returned to training, has enjoyed a decrease in pain in his knee and could thus start in the highly-anticipated Parc des Princes clash.
Regardless, the lingering question is whether the former Barcelona superstar can get off the mark for his new employers. Unlike his iconic rival Cristiano Ronaldo who has enjoyed an excellent start to life at Old Trafford, scoring four goals in his first four outings, La Pulga is yet to score or get an assist since donning the PSG shirt.
While the Mbappe-Neymar-Messi trio is probably the deadliest attack in world football on paper, the three goalscoring machines are yet to click on the pitch. And given that Man City boast one of the best defenses in the game, led by the commanding Portuguese center-back Ruben Dias, Pochettino will be hoping for an inspired performance from his forwards.
