A Diego Costa goal midway through the first half raised Chelsea hopes after Adrien Rabiot had given our French opponents an early lead, but Zlatan Ibrahimovic gave his side victory on the night with a second-half goal. Pedro was back to action in starting role and played the full 90 minutes of the second leg.
So the Blues exit the Champions League at this stage of the competition against these opponents for the second year running. We now look to our FA Cup run which takes us to Everton this weekend as our possible route to silverware, although whether Diego Costa, who had a very early chance saved tonight, will be there remains to be seen after he came off injured. Eden Hazard too looked to have a possible problem when he was replaced late on.
Over the course of this 90 minutes at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea did test Kevin Trapp in goal with a few well-struck shots from range but on a night when Guus Hiddink‘s men needed to outscore the team from France’s capital, our opponents generated as many openings as we did and will be pleased with their night’s work.
Kenedy, who missed the weekend game with a minor niggle, was back to make his first Champions League start. The Brazilian was selected at left-back while up front, Diego Costa was also fit, as was Pedro who returned after two games out and was selected in place of Oscar.
That meant Cesc Fabregas returned to the starting line-up as one of the deeper central midfielders in tandem with John Mikel Obi.
Paris Saint-Germain’s big selection question leading up to this game was answered in the negative for Laurent Blanc. His Italian international midfielder Marco Verratti had not recovered from injury in time so Adrien Rabiot started in their one change from the first leg.
The atmosphere inside the Bridge built nicely in the minutes leading up to kick-off. As the strains of ‘Parklife’ died away with fans in the stadium singing along with their fellow Blues on the recording, Messrs Albarn and Daniels, the lights went down and a banner of the Champions League trophy won previously by the home club was displayed in the Shed.
It was at that end of the pitch that Diego Costa after only two minutes drew a save from Kevin Trapp with a stabbed effort, as the Paris St-Germain defence started off looking a little shaky.
Three minutes later and at the other end it was Branislav Ivanovic making a vital sliding block in the goalmouth after Angel Di Maria got his angled shot beyond Thibaut Courtois. The Argentinian had escaped into space a little too easily. Zlatan Ibrahimovic had the ball in our net moments later but from an offside position.
Quite how Blaise Matuidi was not booked on 11 minutes for pulling back the escaping Pedro, only Felix Brych from Germany knows.
However it was the visitors who were now showing more signs of getting behind their opponents defence and it bore fruit for the French champions after 16 minutes when they took the lead. Rabiot was the scorer, sliding in front of Azpilicueta to meet an inviting low Ibrahimovic cross at the far post. Chelsea now needed to score three goals to progress.
The next 10 minutes drifted by with little sign of a response before Willian provided the spark. He twice snapped up possession in midfield and if his first attempt to set-up Diego Costa did not quite pay off, it certainly did the second time with help from Pedro too. Diego Costa twisted inside Thiago Silva before drilling the ball low into the net. 1-1 on the night.
PSG were getting away with quite a lot. The officials did not spot David Luix pulling Diego Costa‘s shirt halfway up his back as the Blues tried to attack, and Matuidi again committed a foul that prevented a break without seeing yellow.
At last the ref found his cards on 34 minutes when Rabiot shoved Diego Costa to the ground. Moments earlier Ibrahmovic headed a cross straight at Courtois when his manager certainly thought he should have done better.
Fabregas dragged a 20-yard shot wide at the other end, the threat having begun when David Luiz committed to a challenge on Willian out wide but did not succeed with his intention.
As the interval drew near, Thiago Motta was carded for a foul on Fabregas deep in our half before Fabregas himself was booked for a high boot on Thiago Motta.
Hazard had a shot saved, Diego Costa tried to go through the middle of the defence unsuccessfully and PSG escaped when Trapp did not hold on to an effort from our centre-forward as Chelsea ended the first period looking the stronger side.
We started the second half on the front foot too – Diego Costa and Azpilicueta having shots blocked after Willian had escaped round the back of the PSG defence and pulled the ball back.
There was then reason for Chelsea to complain when Willian was not given a foul on the edge of the PSG box, leading to a booking for Mikel when he fouled Lucas Moura as the visitors broke down the other end.
As we approached the hour mark, this game looked to have more goals in it but from a Chelsea point of view they would not be scored by Diego Costa. He was sitting down and could not continue, so there was to be another chance for young Bertrand Traore.
Ivanovic and Courtois between them crowded out Ibrahimovic when the Swede was slipped in behind our backline, and it was Chelsea who were now wrestling the ball off our opponents with greater regularity. Could we do enough with it though?
Willian almost did so with a stinging shot that was beaten away by the diving Trapp who also blocked Hazard‘s left-foot follow-up shot. A minute later Chelsea’s hopes pretty much evaporated as PSG took the lead again on the night.
It was a goal similar to their opener but originating from the opposite flank. A ball played behind Azpilicueta was crossed low from the left by Di Maria and Ibrahimovic was there to apply the killer touch.
We were now trailing 4-2 on aggregate with much to do and a little over 20 minutes left to play.Oscar came on for Hazard, Matuidi finally picked up a booking and Ivanovic was cautioned too close to the end, but this tie came to a relatively quiet ending, especially compared with the previous two years.
- Match stats:
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Courtois; Azpilicueta, Cahill, Ivanovc (c), Kenedy; Mikel, Fabregas; Pedro,Willian, Hazard (Oscar 77); Diego Costa (Traore 60).
Unused subs Begovic, Baba, Matic, Loftus-Cheek, Remy .
Scorer Diego Costa 27
Booked Fabregas 45, Mikel 53, Ivanovic 90.
PSG (4-3-3): Trapp, Marquinhos, Thiago Silva (c), David Luiz, Maxwell; Rabiot, Thiago Motta, Matuidi (Van der Wiel 87); Di Maria (Cavani 82), Ibrahimovic, Lucas Moura (Pastore 77).
Unused subs Sirigu, Kurzawa, Stambouli, Augustiin.
Scorer Rabiot 16, Ibrahimovic 67
Booked Rabiot 35, Thiago Motta 41, Matuidi 86.
Referee Felix Brych from Germany
Crowd 37,591
- Match report by chelseafc.com
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