Manchester City vs PSG: Complete head-to-head record

Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain meet in the 2021 Champions League semi-final, with both sides desperate to finally fulfil their dreams and become European champions after a decade of investment.

Despite a pandemic doing its best to hinder the competition, a two-legged bout between City and PSG is always destined to deliver some of the finest football on offer. Two of Europe's most exciting and talented sides squaring off, but also two sides who were nowhere near this level as little as a decade ago.

Les Parisiens reached the 2020 final and have dispatched of reigning champions Bayern Munich on the road to the last four so far, so to go out now would be nothing short of disastrous. City, meanwhile, could not possibly build a more complete squad if they even tried - if they cannot do it this season, then how else are they meant to win Europe's top prize?

The two sides have only crossed paths five times in the past, with City holding an impressive unbeaten record against PSG across all their meetings.

Here's a look back at all four of those clashes so far, stretching back to 2008.

1. Man City 0-0 Paris Saint-Germain - December 2008

The first meeting between the two sides came in the group stages of the 2008/09 UEFA Cup - now known as the Europa League.

City, in their first season under Abu Dhabi ownership, had already booked their spot in the next stage of the competition and would finish top of Group A.

Mark Hughes' rotated side struggled against PSG, who held out defensively and frustrated the home fans as names such as Elano, Jo and a young Daniel Sturridge failed to impress.

An ageing Claude Makelele patrolled things in front of the defence for Les Parisiens, keeping the Cityzens at bay with a textbook performance following his departure from Chelsea that summer.

While the likes of Joe Hart, Pablo Zabaleta and Vincent Kompany took to the field for City, the real heroes of the team were present in Tal Ben Haim, Stephen Ireland and Darius Vassell. Football heritage.

2. Paris Saint-Germain 2-2 Man City - April 2016

Eight years later the two sides drew again, but in much more entertaining - and much more expensive - fashion.

With both clubs now well at ease with the luxuries of financial dominance, PSG hosted City in the first of a two-legged quarter-final in Europe's elite competition.

Kevin De Bruyne put Manuel Pellegrini's side ahead in Paris after 38 minutes after a primed and very shouty Joe Hart had saved a Zlatan Ibrahimovic penalty just 12 minutes into the game.

Ibrahimovic pulled his side level on 41 minutes, though, when Fernando made a mess of a pass from Hart. PSG then took the lead on the hour mark, but Fernandinho levelled the tie again after 72 minutes to send City into the second leg with two away goals.

The game was end to end, but not in the greatest of manners, with Europe's two richest clubs playing out a 90 minutes that was slammed for lacking cutting-edge quality.

3. Man City 1-0 Paris Saint-Germain - April 2016

The second leg of that quarter-final meeting saw a much more conservative scoreline.

Sergio Aguero of all people missed a penalty in the first half at the Etihad, sending fans into frenzy at the thought of potentially throwing it all away from such a strong position.

Ibrahimovic forced two fine saves out of Hart again, who was continually excelling in the Champions League, but PSG were otherwise toothless and a mistake-ridden performance ultimately saw City capitalise after 76 minutes through De Bruyne.

The Belgian's goal ensured safe passage into the Champions League semi-finals for the first time in the club's history.

4. Paris Saint-Germain 1-2 Man City - April 2021

Having not reached the semi-final since overcoming PSG in 2016, City met the French side next in 2021 having finally made the last four of the competition once again, after years of shortcomings.

PSG put together an incredible first-half performance; a Marquinhos header put Mauricio Pochettino's side ahead, who then seamlessly played through City's press for 45 minutes and continually had Pep Guardiola's number.

That all came crashing down quicker than it started, though. City galvanised after the interval and tuned up the band, with Guardiola's Cityzens putting on a clinic and forcing a goalkeeping error from Keylor Navas to draw level through De Bruyne, who at this point loves a goal against PSG.

Riyad Mahrez completed the comeback after 71 minutes, ensuring City had the aggregate lead and two away goals at the Etihad with a free kick that was enough to break beyond a questionable wall and again leave Navas looking rather foolish.