Enzo Maresca, Ruben Dias Send Warning to PSG Before Champions League Game

While waiting for the news conference with Ousmane Dembélé and Luis Enrique, Enzo Maresca and Ruben Dias appeared before the media in the early afternoon, two days after their fine 3-0 win at Liverpool and one day before the Champions League clash with PSG.

While there was once again much talk about the scandal shaking the Manchester club, which had been accused of breaching the Premier League's financial rules for years, the two Manchester men were inevitably also asked about Wednesday night's clash with the two-time defending European champions.

How does Maresca plan to motivate his troops before this European appointment? "The message for tomorrow night is quite simple in the sense that we need a perfect match because they are the best team in Europe right now," the Italian coach responded. "They have won the last two editions of the Champions League, so that shows how good they are. We need to play a perfect match, but at the same time, if we give our best, I think we can beat them and be happy at the end of the match."

While City has strung together eight straight wins, where does this English team stand against PSG overall? "I am convinced we are a good team, no doubt about that," replied Pep Guardiola's successor. "Now, to say where we stand relative to PSG, I don't know, to be honest. Again, I know how good they are because they have won the Champions League twice in the last two years. That shows how good they are. But at the same time, I repeat, I don't know if we are close to them or far from them, but we are a good team."

Just before, his coach, City's Portuguese captain, Ruben Dias, had also appeared before the media and expected a special atmosphere at the Etihad Stadium given the context and the matchup: "It's a huge match, and I believe everyone is excited. It's a great opportunity for us to test ourselves at this level against one of the best teams, or even the best team, in Europe right now. This challenge excites us, and I believe it does everyone. I'm sure the supporters can't wait for tomorrow, just like us. I think it's going to be special."

When asked again about PSG's chances of a historic "three-peat" at season's end, Ruben Dias was clear: "I hope they won't be able to." The City center-back nevertheless added: "It's obviously a great team and it's impossible to say otherwise. I know a few of their players personally. I know how good they are. You can see their flexibility at every moment of the match. And obviously, I feel their Portuguese players, whom I know so well, reflect the rest of the team. We will have to be very good to beat them. That is our goal."