April 28 – Will Istanbul play host to an-all English Champions League final at the end of May? On Wednesday, Manchester City inched closer to elusive glory after exploiting Paris Saint-Germain’s defensive lapses in a high-octane semi-final of the competition. In the other last four game, Chelsea held Real Madrid to a 1-1 draw on Tuesday.
Two years ago, Liverpool and Tottenham completed the line-up for an all English final in Europe’s premier club competition and while the build-up to the showpiece event dragged on forever and the match turned into a damp squib, a new English affair could well be on the cards this season with both Chelsea and Manchester City emerging as favourites from their semi-final first legs away from home.
Man City’s win was an expression of their potency as Pep Guardiola and his team masterminded a fine comeback to win 2-1 against last year’s finalists PSG in the French capital. In the first stanza, City’s philosophy of ball possession was rendered impotent by a well-organised PSG with Guardiola throwing his hands in the air in desperation at half-time. The hosts had scored the half’s only goal when Marquinhos connected with a flat corner from Angel Di Maria to flick a header beyond the helpless Ederson.
After the break, a reinvigorated City demonstrated a different mindset, hunger and in the end total command to reverse the scoreline.
They pressed PSG’s stars out of the game and sky blue reward came in the form of goals from Kevin de Bruyne and Riyad Mahrez. Predictably, PSG collapsed with Neymar getting booked for a nibble on Ruben Dias before Idrissa Gueye was sent off for a murderous stamp on the ankle of Ilker Gundogan. Yet again, the Champions League seemed to demand too much from a club obsessed with the competition.
On the other side of the draw, Chelsea secured a valuable 1-1 draw away to Real Madrid before next week’s return leg. The Blues were unfazed by Madrid’s European pedigree and took an early lead through Christian Pulisic, but Karim Benzema equalized from close range at the half-hour mark. Even so, Chelsea were commanding at times with N’golo Kante starring again in midfield. After the break caution prevailed from both sides as they settled for a diplomatic draw.
The London club however will feel strengthened in their belief that Thomas Tuchel can lead them to the final in the Turkish capital next month. Chelsea last reached the showpiece match in 2012 when they defeated Bayern Munich after a dramatic penalty shoot-out.
Contact the writer of this story, Samindra Kunti, at moc.l1713442929labto1713442929ofdlr1713442929owedi1713442929sni@o1713442929fni1713442929