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Father Ruben bullying two of the world’s best players to start your day off 1/
Plenty of good old fashioned roughing up from Ruben Dias last night. And it worked. In the 1st half outmuscling Mbappe in the area to win possession 2/
In the 2nd half City stepped up the pitch and Dias became more active in the opposition half. I spoke about the danger of Neymar getting space yesterday and more often than not it was Dias hunting him down in these areas and winning battles 3/ https://twitter.com/city_tactics/status/1387310908024791040?s=21
A few minutes later, again it’s Dias engaging Neymar and coming out on top in the same area of the pitch 4/
When the ball breaks to Mbappe in the 58th minute, it’s Dias who makes the interception and passes to De Bruyne. His active defending was a big factor in City being able to keep the pressure on PSG 5/
In the 61st minute Dias gives Neymar a whack. By now the Brazilian is getting frustrated. He feints to take the free kick at Foden. City have got him just where they want him 6/
A couple of minutes later Neymar’s pass goes out of play. He hammers Bakker for it. Arms up, rattled 7/
Navas goes long in the 69th minute. Mbappe is under it. Dias clears everything out and leaves him in a heap. No free kick, fair challenge 8/
74th minute, Dias shows Neymar enough of it to tempt him in before going back to Ederson. He can’t help himself. Booking for the Brazilian, he’s upset again 9/
86th minute and Neymar and Mbappe run the length of the pitch to try to get De Bruyne sent off for an innocuous challenge. Heads have gone a bit here by now 10/
Dias wins it off Neymar again in the same area of the pitch and plays it to Foden who nearly scores a cracker. Creating chances directly from active defending 11/
After a foul is called on Gundogan in the 91st minute Dias takes the opportunity to clatter Neymar. Clears everything out, leaving him on the ground and stands over him just to make sure he knows who it was 12/
In the dying seconds PSG look for Mbappe over the top. Dias goes with him and puts the shoulder in, decks him.
Not your night Kylian 13/
Not your night Kylian 13/
At the final whistle Neymar’s reaction said it all. Mbappe and Neymar are top players and they’ll be back next week. But last night Dias won the battle and they didn’t like it. He’ll hope to win the war next week as well 14//
