Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain have reshaped football with the financial backing of Gulf state owners, but there is a stark contrast in the health of those projects ahead of their latest Champions League meeting on Wednesday.
City return to Champions League action for the first time since they were found guilty of breaking Premier League financial rules in a bombshell verdict which could threaten their place in the English top-flight. PSG strived to follow City’s era of sustained success and are now firmly established as Europe’s top dogs after successive Champions League titles to go along with their domination of French football. No sanction has yet been meted out, but a severe points deduction or even expulsion from the Premier League are among the potential punishments.
The triumph over Inter Milan in Istanbul that completed a treble of Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup was the pinnacle of City’s rise since a 2008 takeover fronted by Sheikh Mansour, the vice-president and deputy prime minister of the United Arab Emirates.
The Premier League season has been thrust into turmoil while clubs await the appeal verdict, with City sitting top of the table after six successive wins, including a 3-0 rout of Liverpool on Sunday. Further UEFA action against City is unlikely as the club successfully fended off European football’s governing body when they attempted to act on the same leak of documents in 2018 that led to the Premier League’s case. To do so they will need to stop PSG’s quest to join a very select club of sides to win the Champions League or European Cup in three consecutive seasons.
