PSG VS CHELSEA MATCH PREVIEW. Paris Saint-Germain will hope to secure a first-leg advantage on Wednesday when the French champions welcome Chelsea to Paris in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. The two sides have met just once before in a competitive clash, with Chelsea 3-0 winners in Paris during the group stages of the 2004-05 campaign in what was Jose Mourinhos first ever European game in charge of the Premier League outfit. PSGs overall record against English opposition is disappointing with just one win from their seven matches, losing three times in the process. That said, Chelseas success over PSG in 2004 has been their only triumph on French soil to date. PSG, who were eliminated in the quarter-finals of the Champions League by Barcelona last season, overcame Bayer Leverkusen in the previous round to set up the clash with Chelsea. The French side are also unbeaten in their last 28 home matches in Europe and have won their last seven in Ligue 1, with that run of form leaving them 13 points clear at the top of their domestic table. Chelsea, meanwhile, overcame Galatasaray 3-1 on aggregate in the previous round. The Blues have been in the semi-finals of the competition in seven of the last 11 seasons, but they enter the match off the back of a 1-0 defeat to Crystal Palace in the Premier League. Should Chelsea capture the Champions League this season, Mourinho would become the first manager to win the European Cup with three different teams. The home side have no injury concerns from their 1-0 win over Nice at the weekend, while Laurent Blanc also has a clean list in terms of suspensions. Yohan Cabaye could start in the middle of the midfield for the French side, while Marco Verratti and Blaise Matuidi are also expected to return to the XI after starting on the bench at the weekend. Lucas Moura could be forced to sit out once more, however, with the French side starting with a front three of Edinson Cavani, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Ezequiel Lavezzi. Chelsea, however, will be without the services of Samuel Etoo, who remains on the sidelines with a hamstring injury. Ashley Cole (knee) is also out, but Frank Lampard is expected to feature as Mourinho looks to his experienced players for the European clash in Paris. January signing Nemanja Matic is ineligible after featuring for Benfica in Europe in the early stages of the season. As a result, John Obi Mikel could come into the centre of midfield, but Brazilian international Oscar is expected to start on the bench once more. Recent form PSG: WWWWW Chelsea: WLWWL Possible starting lineups PSG: Sirigu; Jallet, Silva, Alex, Digne; Verratti, Matuidi, Cabaye; Cavani, Ibrahimovic, Lavezzi Chelsea: Cech; Ivanovic, Terry, Cahill, Azpilicueta; Ramires, Lampard, Mikel; Hazard, Torres, Schurrle
Posted on: Wed, 02 Apr 2014 07:15:24 +0000
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