Manchester City – PSG (2-1) : corners, sprints, «heatmap»… Les stats de la large domination des Citizens

Cornered, suffocated, paralyzed. PSG did not give the impression of controlling much on Wednesday night at the Etihad Stadium. Faced with the steamroller of Pep Guardiola, the strategy of Mauricio Pochettino has again stammered, especially during a first period one-sided. Final score: 2-1, a victory for the Citizens on the smallest of the margins which in no way reflects their ultradomination.

No defensive clearance to achieve for City

This statistic is quite simply unprecedented in the history of PSG QSI version. Never before has a team opposed to the Parisians spent a meeting without having to make a single defensive clearance. It is the Opta agency that provides this data.

Note that UEFA for its part has a release for the Citizens but the difference remains gaping with the defense of PSG (9 successful).

Almost 50% more sprints

The grip of the Mancunians on this shock of the Champions League is also manifested in terms of physical activity. City ran a total of 6.4 kilometers more than its opposite (111.7 against 105.3). A statistic to put into perspective while the defensive returns of Messi and to a lesser extent of Mbappé have been singled out.

There is another comparison that is not debated this time: the number of runs performed at high intensity. There are 114 sprints for the French, 167 for the English, a difference of almost 47%.

3 balls played in the English camp in the first period

Again, this is an Opta analysis. During the first 45 minutes, the Manchester City players camped in the last forty meters in Paris. They played 23 balls in the opposing area against 3 for the Parisians.

An eloquent “heatmap”

Canal +, the competition’s broadcaster, shared a map illustrating the areas where PSG held the ball. Unsurprisingly, this “heatmap” shows how much PSG has recovered its very low balls and has only very rarely managed to pass the central circle.

No corner obtained

This Wednesday evening, the offensive contribution of the Parisian side was very limited. Nuno Mendes like Hakimi never really managed to combine with the midfield creators and spill over to the wings. This is one of the main reasons why PSG did not get any corner during this meeting, when City scratched seven.

Mauricio Pochettino may well congratulate himself after the match on the improvement in the level of his team, the disappointment is great the day after this defeat. Sign of the current fragility, Paris has not won any of its three European trips. A first since the 2004/05 financial year.

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