Blanc urges PSG to take next step

Posted Wednesday, April 13, 2016 by Foxsports.com

Paris Saint-Germain boss Laurent Blanc admits the expectation to win the Champions League is huge ahead of their quarter-final decider against Manchester City on Tuesday.

The reigning Ligue 1 champions, who retained their title with eight games remaining, have reached the last-eight stage of Europe's elite club competition in each of the last three seasons.

Blanc revealed at the start of the campaign that European glory was their top priority and PSG have given themselves a chance to progress to the semi-finals after coming from behind to secure a 2-2 draw at Parc des Princes in the first leg last week.

The Frenchman has urged his team to show they have made progress by beating City at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday to clinch a place in the penultimate round of the Champions League for the first time since 1995.

"Qualifying tomorrow will show that the team has taken the next step," Blanc said in his pre-match press conference. "But what counts most is winning the final. I don't know when that will happen.

"But until the club wins it, there will always be the pressure of expectation. All matches with something at stake are important. Today the expectation is enormous and that won't stop until Paris wins the Champions League.

"That's the club's project, but it takes time, and to do it, you need to grow. Tomorrow we have the chance to show that we are still growing.

"The first leg went in favour of City but we can still comeback. We will have to be excellent all over the park to qualify."