Paris Saint Germain F.C. will welcome Chelsea FC to the Parc des Princes on Tuesday, in a rematch of last year’s Champions League quarter finals.
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Last season, the Blues staged a thrilling comeback at Stamford Bridge, after going down 3-1 in France. Goals from departed Andre Schurrle and Demba Ba sent Chelsea through to the semifinals of the competition. Jose Mourinho’s men would later get knocked out by Atletico Madrid.
Edinson Cavani and Ezequiel Lavezzi were no strangers to the Chelsea shocker. The pair were part of the Napoli team which — in the 2012 round of 16 — beat the Blues 3-1 at home, but fell victim to a 4-1 loss at the Bridge. Chelsea went on to lift the Champions League trophy for the first time in their history.
Thiago Silva – Credit: Ahmed Mido (Flickr Creative Commons)
These results will have no doubt left scars on the two forwards, they must be absolutely sick of visiting Chelsea’s home stadium, but if anything, this tie gives them a chance at redemption.
PSG haven’t been in great form this season, they sit third in the Ligue 1 standings, but only trail league leaders Lyon by two points.
Laurent Blanc’s squad has only lost two league games this season, but they have dropped 18 more points by drawing.
Led by the enigmatic Zlatan Ibrahimovic, PSG should present a huge threat up front. The big Swede has 10 goals to his name so far this season. Edinson Cavani and Lucas Moura are having a decent campaign as well.
Blanc will need to ensure that Ibrahimovic gets plenty of touches in this match, as he is the one most likely to hurt Chelsea. The striker could provide a focal point, also allowing Lavezzi, Moura and Cavani space to run in behind.
David Luiz – Credit: Brandon Ramos Velasquez
Brazilian defender David Luiz — who was a fan-favorite at Chelsea — will be facing his former team for the first time since leaving the club, bringing a bit of an edge into the game.
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The Blues will need to focus on defending in this leg. Young French defender Kurt Zouma has given an excellent account of himself, and he should be picked ahead of Gary Cahill. The Englishman has always been solid at the back, but a recent dip in form has seen Zouma provided with more opportunities.
Zouma is better able to cope with pace, as he has demonstrated in his last few games. Chelsea would probably stand a better chance of victory if he starts.
Diego Costa — who hasn’t played since the 1-0 Capital One Cup victory vs Liverpool — will be back and raring to go. He hasn’t scored outside of Premier League competition this season, but that won’t fool anyone. A goal from the Spanish international would not come as a surprise.
Prediction
A tough challenge for both clubs and a hard one to call. The Blues have the better manager and are having a better season, but PSG could prove tough to break down at home.
Final score: PSG-1, Chelsea-1.
We Are Hooligans Match Of The Week Predictions
This match will be closer than many believe. Look for goals from both Zlatan and Costa. 2-2 final. – Robert Molnar
PSG are undefeated at home so far this season. They also held a very good record at the Parc des Princes last season (including the victory over Chelsea during the last Champions League meeting).The difference this year is Zlatan has been rested and will be fit for the match. Overall I may have to stick with a 2-2 scoreline as well. – Lauren Maharaj
Mourinho will hope to give his team the best chance of progression by snatching an away goal and making use of their home advantage in the second leg. 0-1 Chelsea. – Joe Lingley
Chelsea will sit deep on the counter and to frustrate the PSG buildup. Diego Costa to open the scoring, with Ibra leveling inside the last 10 minutes of the match. 1-1. – Nicholas Peters