For a while last night it was looking like Paris Saint-Germain were going to power past Manchester City and go a long way to booking their spot in the Champions League final. After going 1-0 up thanks to a Marquinhos header early on the home side looked in control but then City, and Pep Guardiola, reacted. As Barney Ronay writes this morning the former Barcelona manager altered things in the second half, went back to basics and watched as his side - driven on by Kevin De Bruyne - turned the screw on PSG to win this semi-final first leg 2-1. They now head back to Manchester well in the ascendancy in this "El Cashico" as it was dubbed before the game but, as Mary Hannigan writes, the TV pundits reminded us that we were able to park any issues and just enjoy the game for what it was.
Moving on to rugby and La Rochelle's Jono Gibbes was yesterday fondly remembering his time at Leinster but says that experience does not diminish his desire to beat his former team in Sunday's Champions Cup semi-final. "When we saw the draw a few weeks back it just brings back emotions. I guess that's the power of a positive experience. Straight away you remember all the things that you went through and the experiences that you had there," he said. Meanwhile, in his rugby stats column, John O'Sullivan writes that Sunday's match is likely to see the two main ball carriers - Grégory Alldritt and Rhys Ruddock - play key roles in carrying the heavy load. Elsewhere there is news this morning that the 26 provincial unions in New Zealand have approved the sale of a stake in New Zealand Rugby - including a portion of the All Blacks - to a US private equity firm.
On to GAA and Offaly's Niall McNamee spoke yesterday about how his fear of a relapse into gambling addiction "just terrifies" him. "If I was to gamble again, I don't know if I would stop. I don't know if I would have the balls to come back and say if I had a relapse and then go back to square one and start all over again," he said. Meanwhile, Oisín McConville reckons that the Armagh career of Jamie Clarke may be over with the 32-year-old unavailable for selection this year.
In racing, Clan Des Obeaux completed a daring raid yesterday to win the Punchestown Gold Cup while, today, Willie Mullins' airtight grip on the Ryanair Chase looks in safe hands with Energumene.
Finally to our women in sport pages this morning where Dave Hannigan writes that Caitlyn Jenner has taken on her next challenge of attempting to become the governor of California, Ireland star Dorothy Wall says she is not fazed by great expectations and Joanne O'Riordan writes about how sports clubs can make themselves more accessible.
