Champions League, Round of 16: PSG, Chelsea meet again in 'New Classic'
Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain will face off for the third consecutive year in the knockout stage of the Champions League.
(Courtesy: PSG)
It is a growing rivalry in the competition, with Chelsea winning the first two-legged affair in 2014 and PSG advancing earlier this year in dramatic fashion. The two sides drew both games in February and March, but PSG won on away goals after headers from David Luiz and Thiago Silva at Stamford Bridge.
Player to watch
One of the best set-up men in European football is Angel Di Maria. He has nine assists in league play, only behind Mesut Ozil's 13, and is among the top 5 players in key passes made per game. His influence on PSG is growing: On Sunday, he teed up three of his side's five goals in a 5-1 thrashing of Lyon.
He has already surpassed his offensive output from last season at Manchester United, where he suffered under Louis van Gaal. He is a freer player now, flying on the flanks and under the radar.
Key matchup
Matches between Chelsea and PSG are close. Even though the London club has slipped down the Premier League table, it still has the players to do damage in Europe. Whichever team wins the battle in midfield will likely emerge victorious by March 9.
PSG's trio of Marco Verratti, Thiago Motta and Blaise Matuidi is arguably the most balanced set of midfielders across Europe. Verratti is the playmaker, Motta is the anchor and Matuidi is the athlete who covers the space in between. It's a perfect balance, and together they could blow Chelsea wide open.
The Blues, who line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, rely on their attackers to drop deeper, and Nemanja Matic and Ramires need all the help they can get. Willian is the key man here, contributing both offensively and defensively.
Schedule
- First leg: Tuesday, February 16 (Parc des Princes)
- Second leg: Wednesday, March 9 (Stamford Bridge)
Club reaction
Chelsea: "I don't think you can take league form into it. They said that about us just before the Porto game, that our form was bad, but we saw the quality of players we had and we came through with no problems at all." - Secretary David Barnard
PSG: "We're playing Chelsea for a third year - it's become a sort of a classic for us. I'm delighted for the fans, who will see great matches at Parc des Princes and Stamford Bridge. We'll be ready." - President Nasser Al-Khelaifi