What: Champions League – Quarter-final first leg
Who: Paris Saint-Germain vs Chelsea
When: Wednesday 2nd April 2014, at 19:45 UK Time
Where: Parc des Princes, Paris, France
French Ready For Biggest Test
Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea clash on Wednesday night in the first leg of a Champions League quarter-final at the Parc des Princes. There is great interest in this match to see whether PSG can finally take that next step in Europe and earn a semi-final berth. Laurent Blanc’s side have swept all before them in Ligue 1 and the Champions League this season and will now face their biggest test with Jose Mourinho’s men.
After going through the motions in their last two Ligue 1 matches against Lorient and Nice, picking up two 1-0 wins, the match that the whole club have been waiting for has arrived. Bayer Leverkusen were no match in the Round of 16, but everyone at PSG knows that Chelsea are a different proposition. Blanc in particular was effusive in his praise for the Londoners and their manager after the Nice match.
"We're going to need to play a great game to beat Chelsea. They're a great team with a great coach", Blanc explained. "He's very clever, very professional. I have a lot of respect for him, he's a great tactician. He's won everything. He has his way of doing things, but no-one can argue with him.”
The respect for Chelsea is there for PSG, but the objective is to make it to Europe’s top four teams. It is a sign of how far PSG have come when a defeat by Chelsea in the last eight would be deemed a big disappointment.
Subdued Blues
While PSG will enter the match with full confidence having in all essence secured their second consecutive French league title, Chelsea go to France with theirs shaken. A weekend defeat to Crystal Palace may have derailed their Premier League title challenge. While there are many big matches left to play, the consensus, and that includes Mourinho, suggests the Blues will fall just short.
Certainly an inability to get goals from their forwards has contributed to some bad results this season. Mourinho stated publicly in recent days that the club need reinforcements up front.
"I don't think it's the moment to speak about next season and the market but it's clear to everybody that Chelsea next year wants to bring in a striker", said Mourinho. “What's the future for the other strikers? The ones who are staying are competing with the striker we are bringing.”
What effect those words have on the current personnel remains to be seen. Is this a Mourinho motivating tactic or the honest truth from the Portuguese boss? The reality is that whatever it is, Chelsea look destined to lose out on trophies this season if they cannot get goal production from the likes of Samuel Eto’o, Fernando Torres and Demba Ba.
Recent form
Paris Saint-Germain:
Paris Saint-Germain 2-0 Saint-Etienne (16/03; Ligue 1)
Lorient 0-1 Paris Saint-Germain (21/03; Ligue 1)
Nice 0-1 Paris Saint-Germain (28/03; Ligue 1)
Chelsea:
Chelsea 2-0 Galatasaray (18/03; Champions League)
Chelsea 6-0 Arsenal (22/03; Premier League)
Crystal Palace 1-0 Chelsea (29/03; Premier League)
Key absences
Paris Saint-Germain: None
Chelsea: Ashley Cole; Samuel Eto’o (doubt)
Players to watch
Paris Saint-Germain – Blaise Matuidi: The French international midfielder just put pen to paper on a four-year deal that will ensure he stays at the Parc des Princes. Matuidi was a subject of interest for a whole host of clubs who appreciate his growing status as one of Europe’s top midfielders. The 27-year-old may not be the big name amongst the stars in the PSG side, but his importance thanks to his energetic midfield displays cannot be questioned.
Chelsea – Eden Hazard: The Belgian star has been Chelsea’s player of the season without question. Hazard’s goals have made up for the lack of a scoring punch by the club’s forwards. However, he has seemed to go missing in the last few matches and if Chelsea are to keep up their assault in the Premier League and in Europe they will need Hazard at his brilliant best.
Match Prediction
Certainly a match that many fans are waiting for, do PSG have what it takes to beat the best? Are Chelsea showing signs of being a spent force? PSG have yet to secure an extremely impressive win over a major side in the Champions League. The Parisians came so close last season, but were just clipped by Barcelona. Now the confidence is there to make all of Europe realise that they are for real. With Chelsea the mood has been dampened by the weekend defeat at Crystal Palace. The football on offer recently has been good, however the side are missing that cutting edge that makes a difference in the big matches. Their lack of firepower up front could cost them in this difficult away leg, but Chelsea should have enough to grab a crucial away goal. Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 Chelsea.
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