Match Preview: PSG vs Chelsea FC

After a disappointing result on the weekend against Crystal Palace, the Blues look to put that shock performance behind their back as they try to take an important advantage in our quarter final tie against Paris Saint-Germain. The French champions will be waiting in Paris after a narrow 1-0 win on Friday and have a day break since Chelsea played in the premier league on Saturday.

Jose Mourinho has said the tie is completely 50-50 in some sense but also said of how Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Cavani can make a difference for our opposition. The Portuguese has blamed his striker’s performances specifically that of Fernando Torres and the Spaniard is set for a start since Samuel Eto’o will likely be not fit for the clash.

Venue: Parc Des Princes, Paris, France

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PSG Squad News: Blaise Matuidi and Adrien Rabiot are both one yellow card away from a suspension.

Chelsea FC Squad news: Ramires returns for Chelsea game after not being available last Saturday due to domestic suspension. Samuel Eto’o remain out with a knee injury for this game as well as Ashley Cole. Marko Van Ginkel still not back to first team action after lengthy lay off. More information on David Luiz’s condition after Saturday’s injury from tomorrow’s press conference of Jose Mourinho. Branislav Ivanović, John Obi Mikel and Ramires are all a booking away from suspension

Referee: Milorad Mažić (SRB)

Fun Trivia –

Ibrahimović became the tenth player to score four goals in a UEFA Champions League game when Paris won 5-0 at RSC Anderlecht on matchday three – the French club’s biggest away triumph in Europe. On matchday five, he became the 18th player to feature 100 times in the UEFA Champions League.
José Mourinho faces the team who were his first European opponents as Chelsea FC manager and will be hoping for the same result against Paris Saint-Germain.
When the teams met in the 2004/05 group stage, Chelsea were 3-0 victors in Paris through a John Terry header and two strikes from Didier Drogba. It gave Mourinho a winning start in his first UEFA Champions League game in charge of the west London side the season after lifting the trophy for the first time with FC Porto.
Mourinho will need no reminding of the threat posed by Zlatan Ibrahimović after the pair worked together at FC Internazionale Milano and the Swedish striker has managed ten goals already this season as Paris aim for only a second semi-final appearance.
Chelsea are looking to book their place in a seventh semi-final in 11 campaigns. They reached this stage with a 2-0 home win against Galatasaray AŞ, securing a 3-1 aggregate success.
At LOSC Hazard was a team-mate of Yohan Cabaye and Lucas Digne.
Players who have served both clubs include Claude Makelele, Alex (now at PSG), Nicolas Anelka and Mateja Kežman.
Jose Mourinho has never been knocked out of the champions league from the quarter finals with all the teams he has managed.

The first tie is always the crucial and playing away first will surely give Jose Mourinho’s team a much needed advantage before finishing the job at Stamford Bridge. The French side are much dangerous in attack and the Blues might counter that threat with a resilient back line and a fast paced counter attacking approach to score early on and take the lead.

We wish the team good luck in Paris and we hope for a positive result. Up the Chels and KTBFFH! Thanks for reading – Twitter @FahmiCFC