‘El Cashico’: Fans react to PSG vs Manchester City Champions League semifinal dripping in Middle East petromoney

Football fans have reacted to the confirmed fixtures in the Champions League semi-finals, which have pitted new money titans PSG and Manchester City against each other.

The tie was set up after PSG overcame holders Bayern Munich through a 3-3 away goals aggregate win on Tuesday.

Twenty-four hours later, City also saw off German opposition in Borussia Dortmund by prevailing 4-2 over two legs thanks to a late screamer from England whizzkid Phil Foden.

As the Ligue 1 giants have been owned by the Qatar Sports Investment group since 2011, and the Premier League leaders by Abu Dhabi United Group Investment and Development Limited from 2008 onwards, fans and football accounts took to social media to pour humor (and scorn) on the mammoth meeting, plus the state the modern game finds itself in.

"A match that shows everything that’s wrong with football now. Two bang average clubs with filthy rich owners," remarked one user. 

Another predicted, "It’ll be a bloody oil money gang bang".

"Wonder which one will pay the most to buy the ref," it was also pondered, as someone else called the clash "El Plastico".

Elsewhere, supporters of the spectacle pointed out the hypocrisy in some. 

"People complaining about City and PSG spending money....," a critic began.

"I guess their teams are [built] on peanuts, have players only from their academies and won trophies from the moment they started playing!"

"It's just they were nothing before the modern era: no trophies no talents - then the oil lords came. BOOM! Champions and stars," came a reply to that statement.

"All the biggest clubs in Europe have a lot of money," said another party.

"Look at the money invested these last four years by Barcelona, Juventus or Manchester United, [then] come talk with us after."

A salient point made was that regardless of your moral stance, viewers in their millions will still tune into the showdown to see some of the world's most talented players in action.