Manchester City will take part in their first ever Champions League quarter-final when they travel to the Parc des Princes to take on Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday.
Both clubs have been catapulted amongst the European elite since money men arrived from the Middle East, but neither have yet made it past this stage of the competition since their investment.
PSG
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There is no doubt that PSG have developed into one of the most attractive and fashionable clubs in Europe since their Qatari takeover, but the one thing that is missing so far is European glory.
For the fourth consecutive year they have made it to the quarter-finals of the Champions League, but on each of the last three occasions this is where the road has ended - twice at the hands of Barcelona and once against Chelsea.
This year's draw is widely regarded as their kindest yet at this stage of the competition, and hopes of reaching their first semi-final since 1994-95 - and only their second ever - will be high, despite Laurent Blanc's claims that Manchester City's squad contains more quality than his own.
An array of statistics would suggest otherwise, not least when it comes to talismanic striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who scored a second hat-trick in three games during a 4-1 win over Nice at the weekend to make it 30 Ligue 1 goals for the season - twice as many as any other player.
The Swede, who has been heavily linked with a move to the Premier League when his contract expires this summer, has won an incredible 13 domestic league titles in his last 15 seasons as a player, with six different clubs in four different countries, yet he has never lifted the Champions League trophy.
Showing no signs of slowing down at the age of 34, Ibrahimovic was on target in both legs of PSG's last-16 victory over Chelsea as they won 2-1 home and away to pick up a 4-2 aggregate triumph.
That result kept them firmly on course for the quadruple this season, having already reached the final of the Coupe de la Ligue and the semi-final of the Coupe de France, both of which will take place later this month.
They have already sewn up a fourth straight Ligue 1 title in record time, and as if being crowned champions with eight games to spare was not impressive enough, they stormed to a club-record 9-0 victory over Troyes to see them over the line - the biggest away win in Ligue 1 history.
The gap to second-placed Monaco is currently 25 points, and with the record standing at 17, it looks as though Blanc's side will set yet another new benchmark in the closing stages of the campaign.
There was a slip-up immediately after clinching the title as AS Monaco ended PSG's 34-match unbeaten streak at home in the league, but that is their only defeat in front of their own fans in the last 29 games in all competitions.
That run stretches back to this stage of last season's Champions League when the Parisians were beaten 3-1 at home by Barcelona en route to another quarter-final exit, but that is their only European defeat in front of their own fans in their last 38 outings - a run that stretches back to the 2006-07 UEFA Cup group stages.
This season they have won three of their four home outings, with only Real Madrid avoiding defeat at the Parc des Princes, while John Obi Mikel's goal in the first leg of the previous round is the only time that they have conceded in those matches.
Recent form: DLWWWW
Recent form (all competitions): WDWWLW
Man City
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Ever since their Abu Dhabi investment in 2008, the Champions League has been the holy grail for Manchester City.
It has been a long road to the quarter-finals of the competition, but they have finally made it this year to grace the last eight of Europe's elite club tournament for the first time in their history.
It is another step towards the ultimate goal of being the continent's best team, and the hope is that Pep Guardiola's arrival next season will see that dream come to fruition.
Manuel Pellegrini would not mind getting there first, but he is in a European fight on two fronts at the moment - first to get as far as he can in the competition itself and second to ensure that Guardiola will be taking over a Champions League team next season.
The latter is by no means certain yet, with Man City enjoying just a one-point gap over local rivals Manchester United in the race for a top-four spot in the Premier League.
It is a far cry from the title race that many expected City to be involved in, with the gap to leaders Leicester City a whopping 15 points, and with five of their last seven matches coming against teams in the top 11, there is every chance of a few slip-ups along the way.
They did at least return to form at the weekend, ending a three match winless and goalless streak by scoring three times in the opening 20 minutes on their way to a convincing 4-0 triumph over Bournemouth at Dean Court.
It was their first away victory since the first leg of the last round, when they all but sealed their place in the quarters with an impressive 3-1 triumph over Dynamo Kiev - their first ever win in a European Cup/Champions League knockout game.
That meant that a goalless draw in the return fixture at the Etihad was good enough, and it also provided City with their first clean sheet of this year's tournament.
Pellegrini's side have won three of their four away fixtures in the Champions League this term, only falling at the hands of Juventus, but are bidding to become only the second English side to beat PSG at the Parc des Princes, and the first since September 2004.
Recent form: WWLWWD
Recent form (all competitions): LWDDLW
Team News
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The visitors could be boosted by the return of Joe Hart from a calf injury after the England international trained with the team ahead of the match.
Pellegrini could still be without a number of key players in Paris, though, with Raheem Sterling (groin), Fabian Delph (Achilles) and captain Vincent Kompany (calf) definitely out, and Yaya Toure a major doubt with a heel problem.
Kevin De Bruyne and Samir Nasri both made their returns at the weekend, but the latter is ineligible for Wednesday's contest.
PSG should have the majority of their big-hitters available for the match, but Marco Verratti remains sidelined with a groin injury.
Serge Aurier is still out in the cold for his bizarre attack on his teammates and manager Blanc, and there is also a question mark over Javier Pastore, who is struggling with a calf problem.
Edinson Cavani didn't start either of the matches against Chelsea in the last 16 and could be forced to settle for a place on the bench once again after Angel di Maria was passed fit.
PSG possible starting lineup:
Trapp; Marquinhos, Silva, Luiz, Maxwell; Rabiot, Motta, Matuidi; Lucas, Ibrahimovic, Di Maria
Man City possible starting lineup:
Hart; Sagna, Otamendi, Mangala, Clichy; Fernando, Fernandinho, Navas, Silva, De Bruyne; Aguero
Head To Head
These two sides have only ever met once before, with that ending in a goalless draw during the 2008-09 UEFA Cup group stage. The City team that day included Hart, Kompany and Pablo Zabaleta, and it is their only previous competitive match against French opposition.
PSG are unbeaten in their last four meetings with Premier League opposition, all of which have come against Chelsea, but their overall record against English teams is mixed with four wins, five draws and four defeats from 13 outings (W3 D2 L1 at home).
The last three Champions League knockout ties between Ligue 1 and Premier League clubs have all ended in wins for the French side.
We say: PSG 2-0 Man City
With Man City missing a number of key players and PSG being able to focus all of their attention on reaching the semis for the first time in 21 years, this one looks like a home victory. PSG's record at the Parc des Princes cannot be ignored and, while City should do enough to still have a chance in next week's return leg, we think that the Ligue 1 champions will come out on top.
Barney Corkhill
