Goalkeeper Joe Hart set to return for Manchester City



England goalkeeper Hart has made a quicker than expected recovery from a calf injury and is set to feature in the first leg of City's last-eight tie at the Parc des Princes.

"Joe has worked without any problems in the last days," said manager Manuel Pellegrini

"Of course you always have a risk, especially when you are coming back from an injury, but we made all the medical tests with Joe and he doesn't have any problems to play."

Hart's return will bolster confidence in a back line that is again missing captain Vincent Kompany through injury.

They will need to be on their mettle as they face a powerful PSG side spearheaded by the irrepressible Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

The Sweden striker has scored 30 goals in 26 Ligue 1 appearances this season and four more in the Champions League but City defender Eliaquim Mangala is confident he can stand up to the challenge.

The 25-year-old France international, who is returning to his home city, said: "I respect PSG, I respect Zlatan, (Edinson) Cavani and (Angel) di Maria, but I am not scared of them."

Mangala himself has had a troubled campaign, albeit one affected by hamstring injuries, and is still to live up to the £42million fee that City paid for him in 2015.

He said: "I have been out for two-and-a-half months but I am playing now and it's up to me to perform

As a game it is very important for me and the team."

The match is City's first appearance in the Champions League quarter-finals and also provides an interesting measurement of their progress against another club operating on a similar model.

Much has been made of the parallels between City and PSG with both having been propelled towards the European elite by the vast expenditure of investors from Gulf states.

The wealth has brought Abu Dhabi-owned City two Premier League titles and facilities that are the envy of Europe, while Qatar-funded PSG have established almost total domestic dominance in France.

In European competition terms, however, it is PSG that so far have the edge with this tie being their fourth successive quarter-final appearance.

Mangala said: "If we look at what PSG did on the European scene they are a bit ahead of us.

"But their project is to go as far as possible and one day win it, and we have the same ambitions or to do even better, so it's up to us for compete with what they have done."

PSG coach Laurent Blanc hopes his side's extra experience at this level can give them the edge but he is taking nothing for granted.

Blanc, who ended his playing career at Manchester United, said: "At such a level in the competition the details are important and maybe the experience we have gathered might be positive.

"But I have the impression the media and the supporters of Paris Saint-Germain think this is an easy draw

Let's not get into that.

"I gave a speech to the players where I said do not listen to people who are saying that, they don't know anything about football."

Source : PA

Source: PA