Luis Enrique decided to leave Kvaratskhelia on the bench to start the contest. The move is strictly a tactical decision rather than an injury concern, and the winger will almost certainly see action in the second half. Still, the omission comes as a surprise given that he has been one of the standout performers across the past two Champions League campaigns.

In addition, two other notable absences from the French club’s starting group stand out ahead of kickoff: Joao Neves and Ferran Torres. Luis Enrique will also start both players on the bench, with the option to bring them on in the second half depending on how the game develops and what the team needs.

How PSG and Man.City enter the matchup

PSG, the reigning Champions League titleholder, has not enjoyed the expected start to the season, particularly in Ligue 1, where it sits in sixth place in the table. Because of that sluggish domestic start, the team will look to improve and secure a positive result in European competition.

The Citizens, on the other hand, enter in stellar form. They have won all six of their Premier League matches, results that have left them sitting alone atop the English standings. Furthermore, Manchester City also secured a victory in their opening Champions League match, meaning they will look to maintain that top level against PSG.

Kvaratskhelia’s replacements in the starting lineup

While Luis Enrique chose to leave Kvaratskhelia out of the starting eleven, the lineup will feature Desire Doue—who had already been starting—taking over that spot tactically, alongside Ousmane Dembele at center forward and Maghnes Akliouche on the right wing.

The setup creates a frontline loaded with high-end pace, backed by dangerous second-half options in the Georgian star and Ferran Torres, who has scored steadily since his arrival. Even so, Kvaratskhelia’s omission is striking; while he does not typically peak at the very start of campaigns, he operates like a machine once the biggest stages arrive.

Key takeaways

• A tactical decision led Luis Enrique to bench Khvicha Kvaratskhelia against Manchester City.
• Sixth place in Ligue 1 is where Paris Saint-Germain currently sits this season.
• Desire Doue replaces Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in PSG’s starting frontline alongside Ousmane Dembele.

In the European qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, Georgia were regarded as a top dark horse. Unfortunately, they were placed in a group that featured two world-class sides.

In Group E, Georgia had to face Spain, Turkey, and Bulgaria for a ticket to the 2026 World Cup or a chance to participate in the playoffs. Spain dominated the group, finishing first with 16 points, while Turkey finished as the runners-up with 13 points to advance to the playoffs. Georgia finished third with only 3 points, missing out on the tournament entirely.

Georgia eye the 2030 World Cup

Luck was not on Georgia’s side for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Spain are regarded as top contenders for the title, and many see Turkey as a strong dark horse that could make history in this tournament.

However, not all hope is lost for Georgia. They boast a solid generation of talented players, led by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who recently made history with PSG by winning back-to-back UEFA Champions League titles.

For the 2030 edition, things are set to be different. Spain, Portugal, and Morocco will host the tournament, so they won’t participate in the qualifiers. While Georgia will still have to face other top countries, leaving those three powerhouse nations out may give them a better chance of landing an “easier” group.

There is a lot of hope for Georgia, and it is mostly riding on Kvaratskhelia. If he can maintain a top level alongside the other rising stars of the nation, Georgia could be a team to watch in the upcoming World Cup qualifiers.

With that assist, Kvaratskhelia became the only player in UCL history to record a goal contribution in 7 consecutive knockout games. Kvicha also assisted and scored in the quarterfinals against Liverpool, scored three times against Chelsea in the round of 16, and scored in the second-leg match of the playoffs against Monaco. And of course, the goal scored in the first leg against Bayern Munich.

Cristiano Ronaldo only reached 5 consecutive matches with goal contributions in the 16/17 and 17/18 seasons, including the final of the 16/17 against Juventus and including the round of 16 and quarterfinals in the 17/16. On the other hand, Messi achieved it in his 10/11 season, when he scored from the second leg of the round of 16 through the final, setting his record of 5 matches as well.

Dembele’s goal after Kvaratskhelia’s assist

The match started with the German side pushing toward the opposite goal. But, in a moment of confusion, they found themselves behind on the scoreboard. In the 2′, Kvaratskhelia took the ball near midfield and played a first-time pass to Fabian Ruiz.

The Spanish player, alert to the play, returned it with one touch, leaving him free on the left. The Georgian ran to the end line and delivered a cross to Dembele, who finished it first time to make it 1-0.

Kvaratskhelia’s great season

The streak placed him in a truly select group in UEFA records and underlined how decisive he has become for PSG on the biggest stage. With 10 goals and 6 assists in 15 Champions League matches with PSG this season, his influence has been massive.

This also fit into the broader context of PSG’s strong European campaign, where Kvaratskhelia repeatedly delivered in crucial moments. His form turned him into one of the standout attackers in the Champions League this season.

For one Napoli player, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, the popularity of the Georgian winger has spun out of control. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is everywhere in his native country where he has scored 10 goals in 19 games for his national team.

Now a condom company called Aiisa Condoms has taken this opportunity of Kvaratskhelia’s popularly to promote safe sex in a way. The new condoms now have the face of the Napoli forward to the excitement, so to speak, of its users.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia on box of condoms

The new Khvicha Kvaratskhelia condoms were announced on Aiisa Condoms Facebook page, many Napoli supporters welcomed the product and began to make funny comments pertaining to the strike rate of Kvaratskhelia.

The condom company has also put out a product with the face of Argentine World Cup champion Lionel Messi, kissing the World Cup. No word yet if the company can use the images of Kvaratskhelia and Messi but for now they are cashing in on the world’s other biggest passion… soccer.