Champions League

PSG players claim the referee for their clash with Man City told them to ‘f*** off’ last night.Marco Verratti and Leandro Paredes were both allegedly on the receiving end of ref Bjorn Kuipers’ words.
Marco Verratti is held back by PSG manager Mauricio PochettinoCredit: Reuters
Angel Di Maria protests after he was sent off in the second legCredit: The Sun
Man City won 2-0 on the night to secure a 4-1 aggregate win and a place in the Champions League final.
PSG players were seen remonstrating with the referee at full-time and Angel Di Maria was also sent off during the fiery tie.
But PSG’s former Man Utd midfielder Ander Herrera made an astonishing claim against the referee.
He told RMC: “‘We talk about respect with referees.
“The referee tonight said ‘f*** off’ to Leandro Paredes. It’s incredible. If we say that we get a three-four match ban.”
And the claims were backed up by fellow midfielder Verratti.
Verratti said: “He (Kuipers) said ‘f*** you’ to me. I talk to referees a lot but I never say that or I get a 10-game ban.”

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Mauricio Pochettino called on Uefa to investigate the claims against referee Bjorn KuipersCredit: PA
PSG manager Mauricio Pochettino called on Uefa to investigate the accusations made by his players.
Poch said: “They explained to the TV in some interview before, we need to believe in what they are telling us you know.
“But now the most important thing is that we are not in the final.

“But of course if I didn’t hear nothing from the touchline, if something is there and that is how they explain, maybe UEFA will investigate the situation.”
Riyad Mahrez scored both goals as City won 2-0 in the second leg at the Etihad.
Pep Guardiola’s men will face either Chelsea or Real Madrid in the final on May 29 after the 4-1 aggregate win.
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Pep Guardiola salutes ‘incredible’ Man City players after reaching Champions League final More

MANCHESTER CITY toasted reaching their first ever Champions League final with wild dressing room celebrations.Pep Guardiola’s men beat Paris Saint-Germain 2-0 at the Etihad to secure a 4-1 aggregate semi-final win and a spot in the European showpiece against either Chelsea or Real Madrid in Istanbul on May 29.
Manchester City players danced in celebration at reaching the Champions League final
Benjamin Mendy turned a chair upside down on his head
Players and staff were understandably jubilant after thumping PSG
Riyad Mahrez’s double was enough to trump an ill-disciplined PSG who had Manchester United flop Angel Di Maria sent off for stamping on Fernandinho.
The result sparked jubilant scenes inside the confines of the City changing room with players and staff dancing and hugging each other with music blaring.
Back-up keeper Zack Steffen shared footage of players bouncing up and down in the centre of the changing room after the game.
The Citizens were playing the viral trending song Friday ft. Mufasa & Hypeman by Riton x Nightcrawlers.
The US shot-stopper’s video was soon viewed well over a million times on Twitter.
Players including No1 Ederson can be seen celebrating topless with some hurling their shirts around above their heads.
The clip ends bizarrely with Benjamin Mendy holding a chair upside down on top of his head.
However, not all the reaction online was overly positive with a number of fans pointing out City were partying hard despite not actually having won the competition yet.
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One supporter tweeted: “Celebrating when you haven’t won it. Small club mentality.”
Another added: “How embarrassing only got to final not won it yet but then again they have no history so it’s there first time.”
Some social media users were quick to point out City’s opponents PSG were similarly quick to celebrate last year’s semi-final win before losing to Bayern Munich in the final.
A fan quipped: “Where are the people who made fun of PSG’s squad when they went to the final last year?”
Many were far more positive after what was a historic night for the club.
One footy fan said: “I’m not even a Man City fan, but if this is their response to getting to the CL final, I’m pleased because it shows how much heart and soul they put into their game. I wish them all the best for the final!”
A delighted City fan added: “Amazing feelings, so happy with what we have achieved… Come on City.”
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Pep Guardiola salutes ‘incredible’ Man City players after reaching Champions League final More

FINALLY, the world’s most expensive gatecrashers have made it to the swankiest party in club football. Manchester City – the club with a long and mutual loathing of Uefa – have made it to a Champions League final at the tenth time of asking. 
Riyad Mahrez scored twice as Man City finally reached the Champions League finalCredit: The Sun
Mahrez wheeled away in delight after scoring in back-to-back games against Paris Saint-GermainCredit: Reuters
With summer fast approaching in Manchester, Pep Guardiola battled through the hail, the snow and the piddling rain to book a date with Chelsea or Real Madrid. 
A fifth Premier League title can be sealed on Saturday, but this is what Guardiola was brought here to do. 
Riyad Mahrez struck twice on the night, three times in the tie, after another long-range master-pass from keeper Ederson and a brilliant assist from the magnificent Phil Foden. 
But on a night of a chaotic night of zipwire football, from two oil-rich sides intent on showcasing their talents whatever the elements, this semi-final triumph was largely about City’s defensive quality. 
When John Stones embraced Oleksandr Zinchenko, after the blocking of a Neymar shot was celebrated like a goal, it encapsulated the tie better than any other moment. 
Stones and Ruben Dias blocked and cleared and tackled and headed until their bones were bruised – but to talk merely of bravery and heroism would do them an injustice. 
It takes immense skill to defend as well as those two did and have done for much of a season which is promising a glorious treble. 
City were supposed to be banned from this season’s competition for financial wrongdoing – only for their expensive lawyers to spare them on appeal.
Magnificent Mahrez! 🪄A beautifully crafted counter-attacking move, and the Algerian winger is at the back post to clean up for his second goal of the night!Man City are so close to Istanbul! 🙏 pic.twitter.com/8SRlUmCfBp— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) May 4, 2021

Mahrez found the back of the net in the 63rd minute after being picked out by Phil FodenCredit: The Sun
It was another stunning performance from Mahrez who stole the showCredit: Reuters
And they made a brief, panicked attempt to break away from Uefa in the failed European Super League.
Their supporters, when they were allowed in, had booed the Champions League anthem for years.
But finally now they may learn to love the competition – and be persuaded to go out and buy a job-lot of Gazprom.
For Guardiola, this will be a first Champions League final appearance in a decade, since his Barcelona reached its peak by playing Manchester United off the Wembley turf. 
He has failed personally in this competition over the previous four years and is sick to the back teeth of those accusations of over-thinking team selections and trying to be too clever by half. 
There was none of that over two legs against Paris – just a well-balanced team proving its defensive mettle as well as its more obvious attacking verve. 
PSG were handed a traditional Mancunian welcome – a torrential hailstorm – and they were still shovelling white stuff off the pitch as the sides lined up, former United men Angel Di Maria and Ander Herrera doubtless feeling nostalgia for the inclement climate. 
There was an element of chaos as both sides tried to get used to the surface – Foden and Fernandinho both guilty of wild early challenges and PSG settling the sooner. 
Pep Guardiola has reached his first Champions League final since 2011Credit: The Sun
Tempers flared between Phil Foden and Alessandro Florenzi in the first halfCredit: Reuters
Angel Di Maria was sent off in the 69th minute after kicking out at FernandinhoCredit: Reuters
And then ref Bjorn Kuipers, perhaps persuaded by a rowdy PSG contingent in the stands, awarded a penalty for handball against Zinchenko.
Yet City’s left-back had clearly only been struck on the shoulder, so Kuipers consulted his monitor and did the decent thing.
Then a moment of majesty from Ederson, a keeper who can ping a long crossfield pass like few outfield players. 
This one was a classic – low trajectory, over 60 yards, on to the toe of Zinchenko who cut back for Kevin De Bruyne. 
The Belgian’s shot was blocked into the path of Mehrez who angled home a shot – and City were two up on aggregate just when they had feared being pegged back to level terms.
This may not have been quite as chaotic as the last time Pochettino brought a team here for a Champions League clash – when Tottenham won an extraordinary quarter-final tie on away goals two years ago. 
But there was a glorious mix of high quality passing and weather-assisted blunders. 
Neymar was frequently zigzagging through the snow like an alpine skier and Marquinhos headed against the bar when Ederson was caught flapping.
Pep Guardiola’s side will be competing in their first-ever Champions League finalCredit: AP
PSG were second best as City proved to be far too good for the Ligue 1 giantsCredit: Reuters
Then Ederson rolled one out to Gundogan, who was robbed by Di Maria – the Argentinian shooting into the side netting with the keeper off his line.
Herrera, who had just been booked for a skirmish after he’d feigned injury with an outrageous shriek, drilled a shot against the stanchion. 
Paris were making most of the running but John Stones and Ruben Dias were putting heads and bodies on the line and Foden got his bandy legs whirring, threatening to scuttle through the entire visiting defence.  
At half-time they cleared the surface, taking the jeopardy out of City’s passing game. 
Foden had a shot pushed out by Keylor Navas then Neymar went on a long diagonal scamper and finally had an effort blocked by Zinchenko, who was embraced by Stones as if he had just scored. 
There was a frenetic urgency about Paris and a heroic bloody-mindedness about City’s defending – Dias absorbing shots like a human punchbag, Stones leaping to clear like a can-can dancer. 
Then the breakaway clincher, De Bruyne locating Foden, who wrapped his foot around the ball for a first-time square pass which Mahrez met with a surgical back-stick finish. 
Former Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino has endured more Champions League heartbreakCredit: AP

2011/12: Group stage2012/13: Group stage2013/14: R162014/15: R162015/16: SF2016/17: R162017/18: QF2018/19: QF2019/20: QF2020/21: FinalAt the TENTH time of trying, Manchester City finally reach a #UCL final 🏆 pic.twitter.com/m3h638cOA8— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) May 4, 2021

PSG had been threatening to lose their heads all evening and that was their cue to do so. 
Di Maria stamped on Fernandinho as the ball went out for a throw-in and Kuipers did not hesitate to show him the scarlet. 
Foden and Mahrez might have added to the tally against ten men – but City had weathered all sorts of storms to earn their prize.
Inside Man City dressing room as Citizens celebrate historic Champions League final run More

ANGEL DI MARIA was sent off for stamping on Fernandinho – adding shame to PSG’s Champions League semi-final KO at Manchester City.The former Manchester United winger lashed out at the Etihad midfielder off the pitch as the Argentinian went to pick the ball up for a throw-in.
Fernandinho flies over while studding culprit Angel Di Maria tries to gloss over the incident by taking a throw but was instead dismissedCredit: Reuters
PSG bad-boy Angel Di Maria can have no complaints about his red cardCredit: Reuters
Riyad Mahrez’s second goal had left City 2-0 up on the night, the final notch on an impressive 4-1 aggregate win.
And soon after, midway through the second period, Di Maria matched the stupidity shown by his PSG squad-mate Idrissa Gueye in the first leg.
On that occasion Gueye picked up a straight red for a terrible tackle on Ilkay Gundogan as City held onto a 2-1 lead in Paris.
This time PSG’s moment of shame came when Fernandinho walked towards Di Maria as if to confront him while the ex-Real Madrid wideman was stooping to retrieve the ball.
Di Maria suddenly turned round and jabbed his studs down the top of Fernandinho’s foot.
The Brazilian slumped to the floor – and Di Maria tried to quickly take a throw.

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But referee Felix Brych had no option but to dismiss the 33-year-old.
PSG were already battered and all but beaten by that stage.
And Di Maria’s departure killed off any hope of an all-time great comeback as City deservedly set up a final with either Chelsea or Real Madrid.

11 – Manchester City are the first English side to win 11 games in a single European Cup/Champions League campaign. Dominance. https://t.co/pdJHlXxPyc— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) May 4, 2021

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Pep Guardiola salutes ‘incredible’ Man City players after reaching Champions League final More