Chelsea vs PSG football prediction in the Champions League

Overview

Chelsea twice equalized against Paris Saint-Germain at Parc des Princes in the first leg. However, coach Liam Rosenior's team could not resist the fierce attack of the reigning European champions in the remainder of the match.

When the score was 2-2 in the 62nd minute, coach Luis Enrique brought Khvicha Kvaratskhelia onto the field - a pivotal substitution decision.

The Georgian striker immediately made his mark when he assisted Vitinha to score before scoring a double himself, helping PSG win big and almost put one foot in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals.

For Chelsea, this defeat almost shattered their Champions League dream. This is only the second time in history that they have lost the first leg in European cups with a difference of 3 goals or more away from home.

Last time it happened in the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup semi-finals in the 1994-1995 season when Chelsea lost to Real Zaragoza. At that time, a 3-1 victory in the second leg at home was still not enough for them to advance.

The Blues' form is also declining as they have lost 3 of their last 5 matches in all competitions. Last weekend, the London team continued to suffer a 0-1 defeat to Newcastle United in the Premier League.

This match also attracted attention because of a rare incident with referee Paul Tierney, who accidentally stood in the middle of Chelsea's warm-up circle - a ritual that this team usually performs around the ball in the middle of the field.

After the match, Rosenior expressed frustration when his team was denied a penalty in the second half and frankly reminded the referee "to focus on your work".

However, Chelsea's bigger problem is still in the defense. In the last 20 minutes of the first leg match against PSG, their defense system almost collapsed, creating conditions for the European champions to score 3 more goals.

Thanks to Kvaratskhelia's brilliant performance, PSG is in a huge advantage to advance to the quarter-finals, where they can meet Galatasaray or Liverpool - two teams considered weaker than the defending champion.

The victory in the first leg also helped PSG partly "pay off the debt" when they lost to Chelsea 0-3 in the FIFA Club World Cup final last summer. Enrique's team even had a weekend break in Ligue 1 to best prepare for the away trip to London.

PSG has currently won 4 of their last 5 away matches in all competitions and is aiming for a fifth victory when traveling to Stamford Bridge.

This is also the first time PSG has returned to Chelsea's home ground after nearly a decade. In the most recent time in the 2015-2016 Champions League season, the Paris team at that time under the leadership of Laurent Blanc won 2-1 at Stamford Bridge thanks to goals from Adrien Rabiot and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Notably, PSG has only lost one of their last four away games to Chelsea's stadium - a sign that a huge challenge is waiting for The Blues in the second leg.

Personnel situation

Chelsea will certainly not have the service of Levi Colwill due to a knee injury, while Mykhaylo Mudryk continues to be suspended for doping.

In the goalkeeper position, Filip Jorgensen - who had a forgettable performance in Paris - is having a groin problem and his ability to play is still uncertain.

Meanwhile, PSG has a much more favorable preparation. Enrique's team does not have to play any match between the two legs, so they are likely to use a squad almost identical to the first leg.

Expected lineup:

Sanchez, Gusto, Fofana, Chalobah, Cucurella, James, Caicedo, Palmer, Fernandez, Neto, Pedro.

Safonov, Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes, Zaire-Emery, Vitinha, Neves, Kvaratskhelia, Dembele, Barcola.