After defeating Dortmund 4-2 on aggregate, Man City are officially into the Champions League semi-final.
Awaiting them in the penultimate round is PSG – with Chelsea and Real Madrid also jostling for a place in the final.
Man City and PSG are considered as the top two clubs remaining in the tournament – with the winner of their clash tipped to scoop the trophy overall.
Ahead of the highly-anticipated first leg on April 28, here’s what you need to know.
League positions
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Typically, the Premier League table feels like an all-out fist fight you’d watch while betting on the NHL Stanley Cup Finals, as it’s ordinarily highly competitive. Not this year, however, as Man City are running away with the title – currently with an 11-point lead over Manchester United.
PSG are all too familiar with double-digit leads in their league as they’ve finished each of the past three years with such advantage. But 2020-21 is a different story. At the moment, PSG are runners-up in Ligue 1, three points behind Lille.
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These divergent league paths partly explain why City are slight favourites to edge PSG, at least according to the online bet-makers. Few teams in the world have played to the calibre of Guardiola’s team since the season began.
Pressure busts pipes or makes diamonds
The weight of the world is seemingly on City right now. Not only is a Champions League and Premier League championship in their crosshairs, but so is an FA Cup and League Cup. No club in history has swept all four tournaments in a single year.
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You can look at this pursuit of history in one of two ways: Either the pressure will force Man City to falter in at least one of their trophy chases. Or, on the flip side, City will feed off the pressure and pull off the unprecedented quadruple win.
Speaking of pressure, PSG have developed a reputation — whether fair or not — for choking in pressure-cooked moments, especially come Champions League time. But is that still fair to say?
In the quarter-finals, PSG eliminated Bayern Munich, the reigning champions who happened to defeat them in last year’s final. Give credit where credit is due, PSG went on the road and pulled off a gutsy 3-2 win with two goals from Kylian Mbappe – winning on aggregate despite a 1-0 defeat in the second tie. The PSG of old may not have held on.
Make no mistake, City and PSG are desperate to get their hands on a Champions League title – a trophy which has so far eluded both these clubs despite aggressively spending over the last decade.
Who has the edge on the pitch?
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Any discussion about PSG begins with their attack. Mbappe and Neymar are as good as it gets in terms of a football frontline. Any magic from them, even for a split second, could create problems for Man City’s defence – especially if City aren’t tactful in possession.
Nevertheless, we can’t overlook that City should be at full-strength against PSG. Paris dodged a bullet last round with Robert Lewandowski — one the world’s top footballers — nursing an injury and missing both matches for Bayern. No such issues are expected for City.
All in all, this semi-final tie feels like it could be a trophy decider. Both PSG and City are red-hot for different reasons – and they’ve never had a better chance to win the coveted cup. We’ll see what unfolds two weeks from now when both collide.
Sport
Alex Sanderson summons Rudyard Kipling as Sale Sharks scrape into the semi-finals
Danny Jones
Director of Rugby Alex Sanderson referenced the famous Rudyard Kipling after Sale Sharks managed to book their place in the playoffs of this year’s Gallagher Premiership following a nail-biter of a fixture against Exeter Chiefs.
The Sharks sealed their spot in the semi-finals with a 30-26 win over the Chiefs on Saturday night, with a trio of tries, a singular pen and calmness when it came to conversions proving just enough to make it to full time.
Speaking on the narrow score at Sandy Park, Sanderson himself applauded that same composure during his post-match duties, casually quoting Kipling ahead of the next big game.
Writing on social media after nerves had just about settled, the club simply said: “Apologies for raising the heart rate, Sharks Family… but Saturday we go again.”
Beginning with an expression of that same defiant spirit that has seen them across the line on so many occasions, the 45-year-old told TNT Sports, “We got another Monday in us.”
The Sale Sharks coach went on to add: “So if you can keep your head, when everybody else is losing theirs – I think that’s the old Rudyard Kipling poem – you’re in such a better place on the back of that, knowing what we can fix from the Leicester game and what we can do better from today.”
It’s not every day you hear sportsmen calling up the poetic words of the beloved British-India writer, but it certainly impressed plenty of supporters, though Sanderson has always been popular among fans for his candour and charisma in interviews.
Ultimately, it was Rekeiti Ma’asi-White, Bevan Rodd, Luke Cowan-Dickie and George Ford that the Greater Manchester outfit had to thank for the electrifying finish
You can see how much it meant, clear as day…
Not done yet…
Thank you for your support Sharks Family, it’s truly appreciated!
Sale Sharks will now take on Leicester Tigers (who the local side finished just behind in third place following the result against the Chiefs) in the Premiership semis as they look to get revenge for previous painful meetings
Are you feeling hopeful, Sharks Family?
You can see the full highlights from Sale Sharks’ tense victory over the Exeter Chiefs down below.
Alex Sanderson channelled Rudyard Kipling and Sale scrapped like true Sharks.
Luxury Manchester gym Blok confirms permanent closure after weeks of uncertainty
Daisy Jackson
Blok Manchester has announced its permanent closure, weeks after the doors to the premium fitness facility mysteriously closed.
Around a fortnight ago, members began to arrive to their classes to find the gym on Ducie Street locked up and a forfeiture notice on the door – but at the time, Blok said that it was fighting to reopen.
Sadly, in an email sent to members today, its founder has confirmed that the studio is now permanently closed.
Blok – which has several very successful sites down in London – said that its relationship with its landlord has ‘broken down to a point where trust has been lost’.
The gym wrote that it’s been left with ‘no workable way forward’.
They said: “BLOK Manchester was a space built by our loyal and dedicated community. Whether you joined us for one class or one hundred, we are deeply grateful. You helped create something genuinely special in an incredible city.”
In the immediate future, they said they’ll be supporting the team of fantastic trainers who worked here, as well as looking after members.
Members will be contacted within a few hours with options and refunds owed.
Blok Manchester has announced its permanent closure. Credit: The Manc Group
CEO and founder Ed Stanbury said: “While this marks the end of a chapter, we don’t see it as the end of our story in Manchester. We’re already speaking with developers about potential future sites and remain committed to returning to the city when the time is right.
“Thank you for being part of our story so far. Let’s shape the future of wellness. The mission continues.”
Commenting on Blok’s Instagram post – its first in almost a fortnight – people have been sharing their sadness at the closure of its Manchester site.
One person wrote: “beautiful space, beautiful staff and beautiful community.”
Another said: “Sending love to all the instructors !! :(((( gutted”
Someone else commented: “THE BEST CLASSES. I’m gutted.”
The Manc -
14th April 2021 
