Manchester City look to take an important step in their transformation into one of the world’s leading clubs tonight by reaching the UEFA Champions League semi-finals for the first time.
To do so England’s last survivors need a win or a 0-0 or 1-1 draw at home to Paris St Germain after holding the Ligue 1 champs 2-2 at the Parc des Princes last week.
For three successive seasons since first qualifying for Europe’s premier club competition, City were frustrated in their attempts to make significant progress.
They failed to come out of the group stage in 2012-13 and then lost in the last 16 in the following two years.
This time City won Group D ahead of Juventus before knocking out Dinamo Kiev 3-1 on aggregate.
Goals by Kevin de Bruyne and Fernandinho in Paris mean that Manuel Pellegrini’s men have an excellent chance of qualifying for the last four.
PSG’s Verratti is recovering faster than expected from a groin injury
Their hopes were boosted when coach Pellegrini said leading scorer Sergio Aguero would be fit despite limping off in the 2-1 Premier League win over West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.
“He had just a kick, it’s not a problem,” the Chilean said.
However, Pellegrini has decided not to gamble on the fitness of captain and centre-half Vincent Kompany even though the defence looked shaky in Paris.
Kompany, who took part in the open section of a training session yesterday, has endured an injury-disrupted campaign and a recurrence of a calf problem has kept the Belgium international on the sidelines for nearly a month.
“He is not 100 per cent. It is not possible,” Pellegrini told reporters yesterday.
France midfielder Samir Nasri returned for the West Brom game but is not in the Champions League squad because of the lengthy thigh injury he suffered in October.
Paris SG coach Laurent Blanc was dismayed at conceding a scrappy second goal in the first leg and at losing David Luiz and Blaise Matuidi through suspension.
One bonus could be the return of Marco Verratti.
The Italian midfielder is recovering faster than expected from a groin injury and could make the squad today.
Blanc made nine changes, resting a number of players including striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, for their 2-0 victory over Guingamp in Ligue 1 on Saturday.
Marquinhos was included and then said he was fit to act as a possible replacement for Luiz.
The French club won 2-1 in England in the last round to knock out Chelsea and reach their fourth successive quarter-final.
PSG need a similar result to go one step further this time.
Quarter-finals – second legs
Playing today
Manchester City (England) vs Paris SG (France) - 2-2
Real Madrid (Spain) vs Wolfsburg (Germany) - 0-2
Tomorrow – 20.45
Benfica (Portugal) vs Bayern Munich (Germany) - 0-1
Atletico Madrid (Spain) vs Barcelona (Spain) - 1-2
Semi-finals: April 26/27; May 3/4.
Final: May 28, San Siro – Milan.