If the league phase of the UEFA Champions League ended today, Paris Saint-Germain wouldn’t qualify for the knockout stage. They have two matches left to turn things around, and it starts with a highly anticipated fixture against Manchester City at the Parc des Princes on January 22.
To feel confident going into matchday eight, PSG needs a win over City. Not only would it improve their chances of qualifying for the next stage, but it could likely result in City not qualifying, an outcome that can be found on a football betting platform. It will take a total team performance, plus the encouragement of the supporters, for PSG to defeat City, but one player in particular will play a pivotal role for Les Parisiens.
João Neves arrived last summer from Benfica and has two goals and six assists in 15 Ligue 1 appearances. The Portugal international plays beyond his 20 years of age and is the catalyst for PSG in the midfield. His ability to win the ball, maintain possession, and work his way out of tight areas on the pitch is elite, and it often leads to goal-scoring opportunities for PSG’s attackers. Against City, Neves will be relied upon to control the midfield and spark PSG’s attack.
In addition to facilitating and creating for PSG, Neves is capable of scoring on his own. Surprisingly, given his short stature, Neves is often able to find space on set pieces and attempt a header on goal or redirect the pass for a teammate. He also links up extremely well alongside his midfield partners in Warren Zaïre-Emery and Vitinha.
Back in 2021, PSG met City in the Champions League and won the match due to Marco Verratti’s performance. After the match, City’s manager, Pep Guardiola stated that he is “in love” with Verratti. There are a lot of similarities between Neves and Verratti, who left in 2023 for Al-Arabi SC. Many thought PSG would take a step back with a midfielder of Verratti’s quality leaving, but Neves has quickly quieted those concerns.
January 22 could be Neves’ coming out party to the rest of the world. Everyone will be tuning in to see PSG host City, and Neves has the opportunity to boss the midfield and contribute in a meaningful way. If he’s able to do that, PSG should win the match and be able to use that momentum when they travel to Stuttgart on the 29th. Should that happen, Guardiola may have to talk about his new favorite player in the French capital.