Mahrez hoping City can match past PSG exploits | OneFootball

Riyad Mahrez hopes City can show the same ‘character and personality’ as in last season’s semi-final victory over PSG ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League Group A clash.

The Algerian was on target in both legs against Mauricio Pochettino’s side, grabbing the winner at the Parc des Princes before a brace back at the Etihad Stadium secured a 4-1 aggregate triumph.

It was an historic moment for City, with the winger’s exploits helping Pep Guardiola’s men reach an inaugural Champions League final against the previous season’s runners up.

And Mahrez has called for his teammates to match the same levels of focus and intensity that were reached back in April to see us overcome the French outfit.

“Of course, it was a good day for the team firstly and me as well because I scored,” he reflected.

“But the way we played was the most important - we played with character and personality.

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“That's how we have to play. Like we did at Chelsea, like we have to play all the time.

“We have to play every game with personality and play your game, impose your game, everywhere you go.

“When you win big games like this, especially a semi-final, you grow in confidence. Our team has improved a lot since this.”

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At the same time, however, the Algerian was quick to point out that Paris Saint-Germain will offer a different test to last season.

The winger qualified that no two games are the same, especially with the return of supporters for Tuesday’s showdown.

And while Pep Guardiola’s men can take heart from last season’s performances, Mahrez insisted he and his teammates don’t expect another victory to be a foregone conclusion.

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He said: “It’s a different match. It’s the same teams more or less, but it’s a different match. It was a semi-final, there were no fans.

“You take it differently, the semi-final is different. Today is five months later, it’s the beginning of the season, the group stage.

“We are not thinking ‘we beat them so we will win again’. We are thinking ‘okay we beat them but it was tight and it’ll be another tight game again’.

“We have to be focused, strong and play with personality. We will see how the game finishes.

“We don't think because we won last season that we will win again this season.”

WATCH: City 6-3 Leipzig: Highlights

City have got our Champions League campaign off to a flying start, beating RB Leipzig in style at the Etihad Stadium on Matchday One.

Mahrez was on the scoresheet against the German outfit, and has revealed that he can’t wait to get stuck in once again when we return to European action on Tuesday.

Nonetheless, the 30-year-old has also warned against complacency, insisting that a convincing victory in our previous match doesn’t guarantee a similar result in the next one.

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“It’s just exciting - it’s a great game and we all want to play great games against top teams,” he declared.

“It’s exciting to play this game, it was the same with (RB) Leipzig. It’s a Champions League game and we will try to impose our game and try to win.

“The Champions League is never easy in the group stage.

“We won the first game – but this game will be difficult too.

“It’s away (as well) so we have to keep going as we are, we’ve been very good.”