Enzo Maresca has a winning streak on the line when Manchester City plays Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday in Champions League play. In matches that actually count for City, Maresca hasn't watched his club lose this season. He is preparing fans to potentially lose against PSG, though.
Speaking with the media in his pre-match press conference, Maresca said, "We need the perfect game because they are the best team in Europe at this moment. They won the last two Champions Leagues, so that shows how good they are. We need the perfect game, but at the same time, doing our best, I think we can beat them and be happy at the end."
The last part obviously supplies some hope, but few clubs are going to push City as much as PSG will. After years of being underwhelming in international competition, PSG found itself two seasons ago, crushing Inter Milan in the CL final 5-0, and then defeating Arsenal in the final last season on penalty kicks.
Enzo Maresca provides a bit of reality for Manchester City-PSG match
City and PSG have met seven times previously, and Man City won three of the first four matches and drew the other. PSG has won two of the last three, however, including a 4-2 victory two seasons ago. The last time City won was in the 2021/22 season.
In Ligue 1 play this season, PSG has been far from perfect. They currently sit in fourth, tied with two other clubs. They have won their last four matches, though.
The difference in Wednesday's match could be how well City controls the ball in its own end. PSG is known for relentless pressing, so any mistakes can be easily capitalized upon. They also have a collective approach when attacking, which means different players can score from different spots, and they rarely make silly mistakes.
Of course, that is exactly the way that Manchester City has played under Enzo Maresca this season. When Pep Guardiola was the manager, the club obviously achieved a high level of success, but the game plan was fluid, and holes could open up defensively.
Under Maresca, the approach has been far more traditional and tighter. That might be the exact thing needed to defeat PSG. Either way, City should be in good shape for the foreseeable Champions League schedule. The season is so early that a loss wouldn't set City back much. The only issue is that a loss would be the first for Maresca at City in a match that truly matters.
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