Man City v PSG LIVE: Pep Guardiola returns to support former club in first home game since guilty verdict

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Manchester City host Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League in the club’s first match since they were found guilty of almost all of the club’s breaches of the Premier League financial rules.

With City appealing the decision and continuing to maintain their innocence, Enzo Maresca’s side will be supported by former manager Pep Guardiola, who has returned to the Etihad for the first time since his departure in May.

Guardiola stood by City following the independent commission’s ruling and made a public statement of support, but his presence at the Etihad is a further statement of his loyalty to the club’s owners.

City defeated Premier League rivals Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday in their first match since the international break and now face a PSG side who have won back-to-back Champions League titles.

Luis Enrique also offered his support to City when speaking before the match, and said he hopes the club will avoid sporting sanctions after they were found guilty of 114 and the 115 charges brought against them by the Premier League.

Follow updates from Man City v PSG, below

‘8: Semenyo floats into space but his pass to Cherki isn’t good enough; City continue to press forward but Hakimi wins the duel with Doku down the left flank.

‘5: A couple of nervy moments from City so far, particularly from Donnarumma, facing his old club tonight. PSG are looking to chase him down at any opportunity as he plays out from the back, and have come close to nicking it a couple of times.

‘2: The smoke from the pyrotechnics is still clearing. PSG boot the ball away immediately on kick-off, to no obvious advantage. Doku has an early sight of it – PSG will certainly need to contain him.

Cherki is wrong-footed by Dembele, who releases Doue, but he’s crowded out at the byline. Now Donnarumma plays a rather short ball and is lucky Guehi is alive to it!

After a bit of a delay, featuring an extended display of pyrotechnics, the teams finally make their way out of the tunnel and the Champions League anthem is played.

City have run a montage of clips on the big screen showing them going down to the third tier back up to the top and featuring Sergio Aguero’s title-winning goal and Rodri’s Champions League-winning goal. It shows a journey though, of course, another journey may be beginning.

There is also a mosaic in the Pep Guardiola stand reading ‘CITD’ – ‘City till I die’.

Cameras zoom in on the VIPs and sure enough, a couple of rows back from the trio of Khaldoon Al-Mubarak, Ferran Soriano and Hugo Viana sits the familiar figure of Pep Guardiola… with a cap drawn over his face, looks like he’s trying to avoid the spotlight.

Quick reminder of how the teams line up tonight…

Man City XI: Donnarumma; Khusanov, Guehi, Dias, Gvardiol; Anderson, Enzo; Semenyo, Cherki, Doku; Haaland

PSG XI: Safonov; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes; Vitinha, Ruiz, Zaire-Emery; Akliouche, Dembele, Doue

The away fans have made themselves heard as the players come out to warm up: ex-PSG goalkeeper Donnarumma comes in for particular vitriol, while there are general boos and whistles for the whole squad.

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