Paris sent a message to the competition by correcting the Blues, eight months after the defeat in the Club World Cup final.
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Paris Saint-Germain emphatically advanced to the Champions League quarterfinals on Wednesday, completing a dominant victory over Chelsea with a 3-0 win at Stamford Bridge, for an aggregate score of 8-2. The result marked the first time any team had scored eight goals against Chelsea in a Champions League knockout stage tie. This commanding performance comes after a rocky patch in the group stage and a playoff win against Monaco, signaling a return to form for the French champions.
PSG took a 5-2 lead in the first leg at the Parc des Princes, and continued their attacking prowess on the road. “Is PSG capable of winning the Champions League? Yes, absolutely,” Chelsea coach Liam Rosenior stated after the match. “They have the quality to do it. They have a very good team and a good chance of winning the competition.”
Captain Marquinhos echoed the sentiment, emphasizing the team’s hard work. “3-0 on Chelsea’s ground… we demand to realize how well we’re doing. We need to continue with this mentality, we’re only going to face great teams until our goal, which is the final and the title,” he said to Canal+. The Parisians, who were not considered favorites against the Blues a week ago, have re-established themselves as a major force in European football.
Manager Luis Enrique was quick to downplay the euphoria, a tactic he frequently employs to manage expectations. “You (the journalists) always think we have to win all our matches 4-0. That’s not possible in football. No team in the history of football has done that. This season, particularly, it has been hard for all teams with the schedule. But we are doing a very good season,” he explained, appreciating the unpredictability his team brings to opponents.
The Parisian attack was in full force over the two legs, scoring eight goals on just 17 shots with only two expected goals. Bradley Barcola, who hadn’t found the net in the Champions League since the playoff against Brest last year, scored two stunning goals, one in each leg. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia also contributed three goals, reminding everyone of his big-game ability. Matvey Safonov made nine saves at Stamford Bridge, while Achraf Hakimi rediscovered his attacking impact and Ousmane Dembélé continued to build his minutes.
Kvaratskhelia acknowledged the need for continued collective improvement, stating the team needs to “locate our best form” to achieve their goal of a second consecutive Champions League title. PSG has three weeks to prepare for their quarterfinal matchup (against either Galatasaray or Liverpool), but their schedule remains demanding. A rescheduled league match against Nantes, now set for April 20th, will add to the workload between the quarterfinals and potential semifinals.
Paris will need to manage player fitness effectively while also competing for the French league title against Lens, with the Champions League final on May 30th looming. A crucial stretch of games is already on the horizon in April, potentially deciding the fate of Paris’ season. The team will face a quarterfinal first leg (April 7th or 8th), a league match at Lens (April 10th, 11th, or 12th), and then the quarterfinal second leg (April 14th or 15th). Before that, the club travels to Nice on Sunday and will have a period of international break.
