Rio Ferdinand Slams Manchester City Fans After Champions League Win over PSG

Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand criticised Manchester City's fans for not getting behind their side until the latter stages of their 1-0 UEFA Champions League victory over Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday. 

The narrow win at the Etihad Stadium—courtesy of Kevin De Bruyne's 76th-minute goal—saw the Sky Blues into their first Champions League semi-final, but Ferdinand was not impressed with the atmosphere, per BT Sport (via MailOnline's Nicholas Godden):

"It is the duty of the fans to inspire the team sometimes. The players have to go out there and play but sometimes they need to be pushed over the line. The fans here, they didn't start singing until the 76th minute."

After a 2-2 draw in the first leg at the Parc des Princes City were favourites to advance to the last four at home, and De Bruyne's strike confirmed the Sky Blues' triumph after Sergio Aguero had missed a penalty in the first half.

Ferdinand was not the only critic of the evening's atmosphere, with the Times' Matt Hughes baffled by the level of support considering the importance of the occasion:

It is also not the first time the Etihad atmosphere has been criticised on a Champions League night. Neil Ashton in the Daily Mail previously suggested that such occasions were viewed as "a necessary evil" by City fans.

PA Sport's Andy Hampson, though, felt things were much improved for Tuesday's clash:

And the Etihad certainly erupted when De Bruyne's strike hit the back of the net to confirm their spot in the last four of Europe's top club competition, per BT Sport Football:

It is an impressive feat from a side that has struggled in the Premier League this season and dropped out of the title race some time ago.

Per Bleacher Report's Dean Jones, the return of Belgian De Bruyne from injury has been vital for Manuel Pellegrini's side, and the 24-year-old was the key man in both legs against PSG:

Real Madrid were the other side to qualify for the semi-finals on Tuesday—Cristiano Ronaldo's hat-trick overturning a 2-0 deficit against Wolfsburg—and Barcelona and Bayern Munich are the favourites to advance from their Wednesday ties against Atletico Madrid and Benfica, respectively. 

Thus City can expect a very tough draw in the last four, and they will undoubtedly be the underdogs to advance to the final.

Indeed, PSG manager Laurent Blanc suggested the Sky Blues would be the "guest club" in the Champions League semi-finals, per BBC 5 Live Sport:

But they had enough quality to beat the Ligue 1 champions and are in with a genuine chance now of reaching May 28's final at Milan's San Siro.

The home leg will be vital in the last four, and the atmosphere will need to be electric if City are to give Pellegrini the chance of bowing out with a Champions League victory.