Angel Di Maria wants to defeat Man City on the pitch - not the boardroom

Angel Di Maria: ‘We have to be ready from the very first minute against City.’

Paris St Germain winger Angel Di Maria has no issue with Uefa’s decision to allow Manchester City to play in tomorrow night’s Champions League semi-final despite their part in the ill-fated European Super League — but simmering anger may well be in the air in a week which features five of the 12 renegades in a search of continental titles.

Real Madrid and Chelsea begin one of Europe’s biggest football weeks of the season with a Champions League semi-final tonight before City take on Di Maria’s PSG tomorrow.

Then it’s Manchester United’s turn against Roma in the Europa League last four on Thursday, when Arsenal also face Villarreal.

Given the behaviour of many of Europe’s giants, neutrals may well be cheering PSG in the Champions League and Villarreal or Roma in the Europa; but suggestions that clubs could be banned from playing the fixtures following their skulduggery have proved unfounded.

City’s decision to pull out of the controversial breakaway last week was the catalyst for the project’s failure as eight more of the 12 conspirators quickly followed suit, earning them praise and an olive branch from Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin at the time. But that doesn’t mean that calls for a suitable punishment have entirely gone away.

Ceferin’s more recent remarks include a line that “everyone has to take consequences for what they did and we cannot pretend nothing happened,” which suggests sanctions are still in the pipeline. For Di Maria, however, a free pass to the final in Istanbul would not have felt right and so he’s happy that any repercussions come later.

He said: “Uefa is in charge of this competition, and they decide what happens. But I am always in favour of things being decided on the pitch. I would not have liked to reach the final through a decision made in an office.

“The issue of the Super League has been prepared by the directors of various clubs, not one. They haven’t consulted the players or the fans and that was a mistake. In the world of football it is necessary for all of us to have a voice and an opinion.

“I don’t know about Manchester City’s change of position, only what I’ve seen in the press. But I’m glad they’re still in the Champions League.”

The tie is still poignant for PSG, however, after opting against joining the controversial breakaway group, despite what must have been considerable pressure to do so given the money being discussed.

Di Maria said: “The club has told us that at no time did they think of joining the Super League. We accept it and I think it is the best possible decision for PSG.”

The Paris club’s passion for the Champions League, a key target ever since the takeover by Qatar Sports Investments in 2011, may have been part of that decision. Having reached the final last year, an opportunity to go one better is at the heart of the club’s ambition — with either Chelsea or Real Madrid, two more Super League rebels, awaiting in Istanbul in May.

The same can be said of Sheikh Mansour’s Manchester City, however, who have been desperately trying to lift the trophy since he arrived in 2008.

Di Maria said: “This match has enormous value for both clubs and the issue of the Super League has nothing to do with it.

“Both teams are under pressure because we want to be champions and I think PSG and City already deserve to win a Champions League. But only one can reach the final this time.

“It is our dream to win the trophy and we have to be ready from the very first minute against City.

“I’ve heard people say that after beating Bayern Munich we are the favourites for the tie, but I don’t think that’s true. For me, it is entirely 50-50.”

Di Maria’s respect for City on the pitch is clear, whatever the fallout from their efforts off it, and he struggles to pick out a ‘key man’ given the quality of the squad PSG will face in Paris.

He said: “At City all the players are important — and even the coach as well. I cannot speak of individuals because they a superb team. But at PSG we are prepared for these two battles that await us. We have waited a long time to win the Champions League and this time we must not fail.”