Chelsea have reached the French capital looking to rescue their dismal campaign by overcoming last season’s conquerors Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League last 16 ties.
The Blues have suffered the worst title defence in Premier League history but are now unbeaten under interim boss Guus Hiddink, whose last taste of Europe’s elite club competition was seven long years ago in their now infamous semi-final defeat to Barcelona.
We have tried to pick out five key battles on the pitch which are most likely to decide the fate of the match.
Thiago Silva vs Diego Costa
Diego Costa seems finally back close to his best, and much of the Chelsea hope rely on his success to staying on the pitch avoiding controversies and continue the goal hunt which has seen him score eight from last 10 games. Meanwhile, the Brazilian centre-half Thiago Silva, regarded by most as the best defender in the world right now, will be in charge to organise the defence to clinch a clean sheet. The last two meeting between these sides have been decided on away goals and Chelsea could do with one at the Parc des Princes.
Ibrahimovic vs Cahill
Both of them rarely accused of lacking passion, and certainly more fired up than ever. Cahill will be handed the responsibility to lead Chelsea in John Terry’s absence, having overcome his frustrating early-season form. Ibrahimovic, who will be out of contract this summer, is still searching for the coveted glory in Europe’s elite competition, the one tournament to elude him. The Swedish superstar has certainly endured a year of regret for his dismissal at Stamford Bridge with a foul on Oscar when he branded Chelsea players ‘cry babies’. And his anger is reignited by the casual insult from his teammate Serge Aurier.
Hazard vs Van der Wiel
Twice this season in the Champions League Eden Hazard has been named the man of the match and twice he has scored. PSG likely to post Van der Wiel at right-back and the Dutchman will be handed out the duty to stop the Belgian from getting beyond him. Hazard generally cuts inside before driving into the opponent’s penalty area and the Dutch will have to be at his best to control Hazard’s mazy runs.
Angel di Maria vs Baba Rahman
The major consequence of injuries to John Terry and Kurt Zouma is that Guus Hiddink is forced to travel Paris with very little option but to keep his faith on Baba Rahman to shackle Angel di Maria. Baba has played merely since arriving from Augsburg while Di Maria has seen his form rejuvenated after leaving Manchester United for the French Champions. For the 21-year-old Ghana defender, it will certainly be the toughest test of his Chelsea career, a fight with high intensity and high stakes against a world-class winger. His athletic ability will help him and the pace is probably his key asset. He has the ability to keep track of Di Maria, but the real task is whether he has the mental strength to focus on every movement and interplay of an opponent brimming with confidence.
Lucas Moura vs Cesar Azpilicueta
This matchup may not be as highlighted as the other duels, but it can become an interesting one. Lucas is certainly one of the fastest wingers at present. On the other hand, Azpilicueta has transformed into one of the best-left backs in Premier League, and for a natural right back to achieve such a feat is something that should be applauded. The way he tracks back and wins most of the balls after losing them is quite astonishing, but he may have to keep his attacking pursuits in control against Lucas, as the PSG star has an exceptional pace which can outpace that of Azpilicueta’s.