Blanc pleased to have avoided ´monster´ Barcelona in last eight

Laurent Blanc expects Manchester City to provide Paris Saint-Germain with a difficult test in the Champions League quarter-finals but is pleased to have avoided “the monster” that is Barcelona.

PSG have exited the Champions League in the last eight for three straight seasons, with two of their eliminations coming at the hands of holders Barca.

Barca cruised to a 5-1 aggregate win over PSG en route to winning the competition last season.

But PSG are favourites to progress to the semi-finals having been pitted against a City side well adrift of leaders Leicester City in the Premier League title race and playing at this stage of the Champions League for the first time.

Blanc said: “We see them all year and they have many good players. We avoided the monster of this Champions League with Barcelona but when I hear that PSG is the favourite, it’s difficult.

“I think we have drawn a big club. I am satisfied to have avoided Barcelona but we can’t say we had an easy draw, I do not agree.

“I really do think that it’s not easy. They have injury problems, like us, but it will be a difficult confrontation.

“[Sergio] Aguero is one of their best players because he is a scorer, but it’s not just him. We have time to study them.”