EXPLAINED: Why can’t PSG’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia make his debut vs Manchester City?

Kvaratskhelia’s signing is a landmark move for PSG as he becomes the club’s direct replacement for Kylian Mbappe, who departed this summer, and he becomes the first Georgian player in the club’s history. His arrival signals PSG’s intent to fortify their squad as they aim to solidify their standing among Europe’s elite. The winger was instrumental in Napoli’s 2022/23 Serie A triumph, registering 12 goals and 13 assists in 34 league matches.

However, his highly anticipated debut in Europe’s premier competition has been delayed. Napoli finished the Serie A campaign in 10th position last season, meaning the Naples side not only didn’t qualify for the UEFA Champions League but they didn’t qualify for any European competition. That means that the Georgian is not cup tied in the tournament but can’t make his debut for PSG tonight due to one of UEFA’s rules.

🚨 Khvicha Kvaratskhelia will not be able to play for PSG in the upcoming Champions League games. 🇬🇪❌🔴🔵

The club will only be able to register him if PSG qualify for the knock-out stages.

(Source: @lequipe ) pic.twitter.com/LcTOry4LHT

— Transfer News Live (@DeadlineDayLive) January 19, 2025

UEFA’s player registration rules are the reason behind the setback. According to the regulations, clubs must submit their squad lists for the Champions League league phase by September 3, 2024. Since Kvaratskhelia joined PSG on January 17, 2025, well after the deadline, he is ineligible to play during the group stage. This wasn’t a problem in earlier seasons as the group stages would end in December and the competition didn’t restart till early February but a change in format from this year means that this will be a problem for any club competing in European competitions.

This means the Georgian international will not be able to feature for PSG in the Champions League until after the conclusion of the league phase on January 29, when the club faces Stuttgart in their final group game. If PSG advance to the knockout rounds, they will be allowed to register up to three new players for the competition by February 6, 2025. This opens the door for Kvaratskhelia to participate in the later stages of the tournament.

Must-win encounter for both Manchester City and PSG

PSG’s qualification for the knockouts, however, is far from assured. The Parisians are currently 26th in the league-phase table, with just seven points from six games. They trail eighth-placed Aston Villa, the last team in line for automatic qualification by seven points, leaving their hopes hanging by a thread. The clash against Manchester City on Wednesday is a must-win for the French champions, and also for the English Champions.

Manchester City’s horrible form over November and December has affected their Champions League campaign drastically. The Cityzens are only marginally better of than PSG as they currently occupy the 24th place in the table, the last spot for the knockout phase play off and have eight points from six games. Whichever team loses tonight will effectively be knocked out from the tournament.

This adds another layer to an already exciting encounter. The two heavyweights of European football are on the brink of elimination from Europe’s premier competition and must send the other off the line if they are to make it over the line themselves. A draw tonight might be the worst thing for either side as that will put both of them outside the top 24 heading into the final matchday, if Dinamo Zagreb win their fixture.