Manchester City are into the UEFA Champions League semi-finals for the first time after Kevin De Bruyne’s fine curving shot ended the challenge of Paris St Germain in the last eight for the fourth year running.
City started as if keen to build on the away-goals edge given them by last week’s 2-2 draw in Paris, pressing back their visitors. Paris, however, held their nerve and from their first attack Edinson Cavani nearly got onto Ángel Di María’s through ball. Zlatan Ibrahimović then tested Joe Hart with a 30-metre free-kick, the City goalkeeper tipping over at full stretch.
On the half-hour, though, City passed up a golden opportunity to take a firm grip on the tie after Sergio Agüero was felled by Kevin Trapp. The Argentine picked himself up to take the kick himself – only to put it a metre wide of the left-hand post.
With Paris struggling to muster much by way of attacking threat, City almost capitalised on some casual defending before the interval, Jesús Navas seizing on Serge Aurier’s loose pass but curling narrowly wide from the edge of the area.
The second half began in similar vein to the first, Hart diving to his right to keep out another stinging Ibrahimović free-kick before the goalkeeper clawed out Thiago Silva’s downward header from a corner.
Paris were largely struggling to create clear chances, however, and paid the price with 14 minutes remaining. City worked the ball from left to right and back again, and Fernando’s square pass gave De Bruyne the opportunity to sidestep into space and arc a perfect shot beyond Trapp from the edge of the box.
