PSG v Chelsea: Neves starts, Doué on the bench | OneFootball

This Wednesday, during the first leg of the round of 16 (return on March 17) of the 2025-2026 Champions League, Paris Saint-Germain (1st in Ligue 1) faces Chelsea (5th in the Premier League) at the Parc des Princes (kick-off at 9 PM, broadcast on Canal+). On the eve of this match, the press has tried to guess the team that Parisian coach Luis Enrique will field.

Le Parisien (4-3-3) –

Barcola – Dembélé – Kvaratskhelia

Neves – Vitinha – Zaïre-Emery

Mendes – Pacho – Marquinhos – Hakimi

Safonov

L’Equipe (4-3-3) –

Barcola – Dembélé – Kvaratskhelia

Neves – Vitinha – Zaïre-Emery

Mendes – Pacho – Marquinhos – Hakimi

Safonov

Each lineup is possible, as we have seen a more or less typical eleven emerge over the course of the Champions League matches. However, there are still some doubts, as Luis Enrique does not give indications to the press and relies on fierce competition. It seems there are a bit more than 11 players who are true candidates to start this match.

This will depend on the exact form, which we do not know, especially for Ousmane Dembélé and João Neves. It is noted that leaving out Désiré Doué would also be a significant choice, as his versatility allows him to be a candidate both in midfield and attack. He could start instead of Neves, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, or perhaps Warren Zaïre-Emery, but also based on the analysis of the opponent with possibly some elements Luis Enrique might want to emphasize. And others to avoid, or "protect." So let's wait for the official announcement, about an hour before the match, for certainties.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇫🇷 here.