Chelsea will test their mettle against Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their last-16 tie at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday night.
The two teams lock horns for the first time since the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup final last summer when Cole Palmer inspired the West Londoners to a 3-0 victory in the United States.
PSG missed out on automatic last-16 qualification this term and were forced to enter the knockout round playoffs after finishing 11th in the League Phase, winning just one of their final five matches (D2 L2).
Points were dropped against Athletic Bilbao (0-0), Sporting Lisbon (2-1) and Newcastle United (1-1) and they were subsequently draw against fellow French outfit Monaco in the playoffs. Luis Enrique’s men were given a real scare by a familiar foe, but they eventually prevailed 5-4 on aggregate, drawing the second leg 2-2 on home soil a fortnight ago.
Since then, PSG have experienced contrasting results in Ligue 1, with a narrow 1-0 away victory over Le Havre followed by a 3-1 home defeat to Monaco - their second league loss in as many months that has allowed second-placed Lens to reduce the gap at the summit to just one point with nine games left to play.
PSG head into their clash with Chelsea having lost only one of their last eight games against English opposition in UEFA competition (W5 D2) and have won their last three two-legged ties against Premier League sides, all in last season's Champions League when they knocked out Liverpool, Aston Villa and Arsenal in the last 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals respectively.
Chelsea are one of six English clubs competing in the last 16 of this season’s Champions League after finishing sixth in the 36-team League Phase standings, winning five, drawing one and losing two of their eight matches.
Since coming from behind to beat Napoli 3-2 on matchday eight at the end of January, the Blues have won five of their last nine games across three different domestic competitions (D2 L2), most recently beating Aston Villa 4-1 in the Premier League before requiring extra time to win 4-2 against Wrexham in the FA Cup fifth round on Saturday.
Head coach Liam Rosenior is tasked with building consistency and juggling multiple competitions over the next few months, as his Blues side bid to secure a top-five finish in the Premier League and progress deep into the Champions League, a competition they last won in 2021.
Prior to his arrival at Stamford Bridge in January, the 41-year-old had mixed success against PSG during his 18-month spell in charge of Strasbourg, winning, drawing and losing one game each in Ligue 1, most recently celebrating a 2-1 home victory in October last year.
Chelsea, meanwhile, have won their last six encounters with French opposition in UEFA competitions and two of their previous five two-legged ties against Ligue 1 clubs, while they have also won their last three Champions League last-16 battles and 13 of their last 16 UEFA two-legged ties.
PSG pair Fabian Ruiz (knee) and Quentin Ndjantou (hamstring) are sidelined with injuries, while Joao Neves has made progress in his recovery from an ankle issue that has kept him out of the last three matches and he could feature on Wednesday, pending a late fitness test.
Enrique will weigh up whether to recall captain Marquinhos, who has been an unused substitute in the last two games, or stick with the pairing of Illia Zabarnyi and William Pacho at centre-back.
Ousmane Dembele featured as a second-half substitute in PSG’s Ligue 1 loss to Monaco last time out after missing the previous three matches with a calf injury. The Frenchman has scored a joint team-high 11 goals this term and could be ready to start in attack with Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
As for Chelsea, Estevao Willian, Jamie Gittens (both hamstring), Levi Colwill (ACL) and Mykhaylo Mudryk (suspended) all remain sidelined, while Wesley Fofana (thigh) should be fit to return to the first XI and play alongside Trevoh Chalobah at centre-back.
Enzo Fernandez and Andrey Santos, who are just one booking away from a suspension, could both start in midfield next to Moises Caicedo, with Palmer potentially operating on the right flank if the former begins in an advanced role.
In-form Joao Pedro has scored 11 goals in his last 12 games across all tournaments and is set to replace Liam Delap up front, while Pedro Neto and Alejandro Garnacho will compete for a start on the left side of attack.
Paris Saint-Germain possible starting lineup: Safonov, Hakimi, Zabarnyi, Pacho, Mendes; Neves, Vitinha, Zaire-Emery; Doue, Dembele, Kvaratskhelia
Chelsea possible starting lineup: Sanchez, James, Fofana, Chalobah, Cucurella; Caicedo, Santos; Palmer, Fernandez, Neto; Pedro
