PSG’s Unique Advantage Ahead of Round of 16 Clash Against Chelsea | OneFootball

Last Friday, Paris Saint-Germain was drawn against Chelsea FC in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16. Almost immediately, the reigning champions requested special treatment that could give them an advantage against the Premier League side.

Originally, PSG was set to face FC Nantes on the weekend of March 13 to 15. This would fall between the first and second legs of the tie against Chelsea. To avoid playing two matches within 48 hours, PSG appealed to the Ligue de Football Professionnel, and Nantes, and all parties agreed to postpone the match until mid-April.

This obviously gives PSG an advantage because it means they will have five days without a game after the first leg at the Parc des Princes. Chelsea, meanwhile, will host Newcastle FC in the Premier League.

This move only intensifies the rivalry between PSG and Chelsea. The two sides have battled several times since the Qatar Sports Investments takeover of PSG in 2011. It’s also a rematch of last summer’s FIFA Club World Cup final in which Chelsea won 3-0, and ended with a heated exchange that included PSG manager, Luis Enrique.

PSG hasn’t been able to reach the level of play they had last season, and a big part of that is fatigue. Having five days’ break between the two matches could prove to be the edge Les Parisiens need to advance to the next round. It could also give players like Fabian Ruiz, who has missed significant time due to a knee injury, the ability to return to the squad.

If PSG is able to use its advantage and advance past Chelsea, they will face the winner of Galatasaray S.K. and Liverpool FC in the quarter-final.