Champions League

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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PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN appear to be pulling out all the stops with a secret weapon as they plot a Champions League comeback against Manchester City.Last season’s beaten finalists are in the North West ahead of their semi-final second leg clash with the Cityzens tonight.
Sir Alex Ferguson was seen leaving PSG’s hotel this morning alongside their president Nasser Al-Khelaifi (left)Credit: Eamonn and James Clarke
Sir Alex Ferguson was spotted paying a special visit to the Lowry Hotel this morningCredit: Eamonn and James Clarke
The ex-Manchester United boss was believed to be visiting the PSG sideCredit: Eamonn and James Clarke
Mauricio Pochettino and his PSG side are staying at the Lowry ahead of tonight’s clash with Man CityCredit: Eamonn and James Clarke
Poch may have invited Fergie over for advice as he plots a remarkable comebackCredit: Eamonn and James Clarke
They trail 2-1 after losing in the French capital last week and will have to produce a remarkable turnaround at the Etihad to progress.
However, it appears PSG boss Mauricio Pochettino has called for some advice from the man who was in charge of one of the greatest comebacks in Champions League history.
Legendary former Man United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, whose Red Devils scored twice to win the 1999 competition 2-1 against Bayern Munich, was spotted visiting the PSG team hotel this morning.
And photographers were on hand to snap the Scot, 79, entering the Lowry this morning before leaving one hour and twenty minutes later accompanied by PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi.
MEN claims the hotel has no other guests staying there due to the current coronavirus restrictions and is only hosting PSG’s squad and its staff.
There has been no official confirmation of the visit, but Fergie and Pochettino are known to have developed a warm relationship from the Argentine’s time in England with Southampton and Tottenham.
Ferguson, who masterminded 26 victories over City while in charge of United, has spoken glowingly about the 49-year-old on several occasions since he retired from the Old Trafford dug-out in 2013.
Their friendship continued to blossom after they famously shared a bite to eat over a bottle of red at a Mayfair restaurant.
Ferguson spent around one hour and twenty minutes at the hotel earlierCredit: Eamonn and James Clarke
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FERGIE’S RECORD AGAINST CITYSIR ALEX FERGUSON took charge of United 47 times in the Manchester Derby against City:
Played: 47
Won: 26
Drawn: 10
Lost: 11
Goals for: 78
Goals against: 59

Pochettino described the lunch as a ‘dream come true’ and referred to the iconic ex-United gaffer as a ‘very special person’.
And he also revealed that he paid for the meal after Ferguson challenged him to name Argentina’s goal scorers in the 1930 World Cup final win against Uruguay.
Whether or not Fergie’s visit will help inspire PSG to a second-successive final remains to be seen.
City lead 2-1 from the first leg courtesy of second-half goals from Kevin De Bruyne and Riyad Mahrez turned the scoreline on its head following Marquinhos’ opener.
The victor tonight will play the winners of Chelsea or Real Madrid in the final on Saturday 29 May.
Sir Alex Ferguson spent just over an hour at the Lowry where PSG are stayingCredit: Eamonn and James Clarke
Ferguson masterminded United’s epic 1999 Champions League comeback successCredit: Eamonn and James Clarke
Fergie and Poch have developed a strong friendship over recent yearsCredit: Getty
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MARCELO managed to catch Real Madrid’s flight to Chelsea in time after completing his election duties.The left-back, 32, was pictured leaving the polling station this morning alongside club officials.
Marcelo completed his duties for the election in Madrid in time to fly to London with Real MadridCredit: Rex

And a video then showed him preparing to travel with his team-mates.
Now he should have no troubles lining up for Los Blancos in the crunch Champions League semi-final second leg at Stamford Bridge tomorrow.
Marcelo was randomly selected for election duty last week as voters pick their candidates for the Assembly of Madrid today.
Real Madrid applied for an exemption for the defender, who also has Spanish citizenship, but the request was denied.
His role as a back-up monitor meant as long as the people fulfilling the role turned up, he would be excused.
And after reporting for duty diligently at 8am, Marca report first substitute Marcelo was let go at 9.01am, just 90 minutes before take-off with the squad.
The polling station was at the Liceo Europeo de La Moraleja school in the suburb of Alcobendas, roughly a 15-minute drive to both the training ground and airport.
According to La Sexta in Spain, the second substitute, an elderly lady, volunteered to cover Marcelo by remaining on stand-by so he could leave.

Real Madrid had lined up a £17,000 private jet to fly him over to London tonight in case he was needed all day at the polling station – Uefa rules meant he could not fly on the morning of the game.
They were also angered that he would be mixing with other people not in their bio-secure bubble and therefore at risk of catching coronavirus.
Zinedine Zidane commented on the potential issue last week but was confident he would have his 526-appearance star available.
The Frenchman – already without centre-back Raphael Varane – said: “It is what it is, he will fulfil his obligations. On Wednesday he will be with us, nothing changes.”
Marcelo started Tuesday night’s 1-1 first-leg draw with Chelsea in the Spanish capital.
But that was just the four-time winner’s second Champions League outing of the season, with Ferland Mendy often given the nod this term.
The left-back played 77 minutes in the first leg and will be available for Zinedine Zidane at Stamford BridgeCredit: AP

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PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN star Kylian Mbappe limped into Le Bourget Airport this morning as his team headed to England.Despite appearing injured, the French sensation DID join his team-mates on their flight to Manchester.

Kylian Mbappe touched down at Manchester Airport on Monday morningCredit: Eamonn and James Clarke
Mbappe and Co checked into The LowryCredit: Eamonn and James Clarke
Mauricio Pochettino is back in the UKCredit: Eamonn and James Clarke
Mauricio Pochettino’s men travel to the North West requiring a huge performance, after losing their Champions League semi-final first leg 2-1 to Manchester City last week.
And they face a race against time to have their talisman fit to help them.
Mbappe, 22, felt pain in his right calf during last week’s first-leg.
And while it initially wasn’t thought to be too bad, the forward missed out on PSG’s 2-1 victory over RC Lens at the weekend.
He has reportedly not fully trained since, but was included in PSG’s travelling party.
Pochettino, 49, gave an upbeat update yesterday, saying: “I am optimistic, I still am.
“We think he will be there. We will make a decision before the match but I am optimistic.”
Pep Guardiola, meanwhile, fully expects the French World Cup winner to be fit to play.

Neymar was also among the travelling partyCredit: Eamonn and James Clarke
PSG have a huge task in overturning their first leg deficitCredit: Eamonn and James Clarke
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When asked if he expects Mbappe to be passed fit, Guardiola, 50, said: “Absolutely, I’m looking forward to it.
“He’s going to play. I’m looking forward to him playing. For the football, for the game itself, hopefully he can play.”
On the prospect of facing Mbappe and Neymar, defender John Stones said: “It is never easy whoever we come up against.
“To come up against two world class players is exciting for us as defenders, to test ourselves and see how we can adapt and keep them quiet and I think we did that really well in the second half of the previous game.
“Another exciting spectacle and hopefully we can keep the whole team quiet, not just those two and get through to something special.”
Mbappe has scored 37 goals in 43 games this term – including eight in the Champions League.
Angel Di Maria returns to ManchesterCredit: Eamonn and James Clarke
Some of PSG’s younger stars have travelledCredit: Eamonn and James Clarke
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