PSG v Chelsea: Nuno Mendes struggles, Barcola and Dembélé shine | 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 faced Chelsea at the Parc des Princes. After a match where the Red and Blue dominated but also made numerous errors, they still managed to win 5-2. Here are our ratings for the Parisians.

Goalkeeper –

Matvey Safonov (5) – Some good, some not so good. A first half that suggests he can make a big difference, but he is sometimes vulnerable with lapses. He couldn't do anything about Chelsea's second goal. What's interesting is that he's a very active and reactive goalkeeper. He participates in the game.

Defenders –

Achraf Hakimi (6) – We don't have the full Achraf Hakimi of last year, but he's coming back, little by little. He had a great second half, full of energy. His decisive pass at the end shows he's getting better and better.

Marquinhos (5) – He seems a bit physically limited, he needs to anticipate more because he's increasingly struggling with speed. He didn't seem very calm throughout the match. He compensated with his great experience.

Willian Pacho (7.5) – A strong first half for him. He kept Joao Pedro in check. Be careful with the passing. He hardly lost any duels. We knew he was having a tough time, but he responded on the field.

Nuno Mendes (3) – He rarely advanced, made a big mistake on Chelsea's goal, he's really inconsistent, sometimes brilliant, sometimes too careless. A second mistake on Chelsea's second goal and his match becomes quite worrying.

Midfielders –

Joao Neves (7) – He marked Cold Palmer individually. It really bothered Chelsea, but sometimes he faced the downside. When he lost his interceptions, a chance for Chelsea was created. A great match from him, constantly challenging the opponent, with a lot of success.

Vitinha (7) – He regulates, but nothing "brilliant" from him. He's still missing his magical pass. His first half is nonetheless very decent. He scored a very nice goal, full of composure. He was one of PSG's pillars in this match, as often in big games.

Warren Zaïre-Emery (4) – In duels, he's very strong, but sometimes lacks a bit of concentration. He also needs to take more offensive risks. A rather average match from him. Replaced by Senny Mayulu in the 77th minute.

Forwards –

Désiré Doué (4) – An encouraging first half. The second goal came from him. He still lacks a bit of energy and confidence. A mistake on Chelsea's second goal and questions about his current level won't stop. Replaced in the 62nd minute by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

Ousmane Dembélé (6) – Scorer, he kept pressing and "roaming," a nuisance for Chelsea in the first half. A good return for him, having done a good job. Replaced in the 68th minute by Lee Kang-in.

Bradley Barcola (6.5) – Finally a scorer in the Champions League, he did the job, cleanly, with desire and determination. He recovered the ball for the third goal. He got caught several times by rushing the goalkeeper in pressing, but he read the game well. Replaced in the 77th minute by Lucas Hernandez.

Coach –

Luis Enrique (7) – He managed to give his team some flair in sequences. But there are still defensive problems, which pose a real issue in these high-level matches. Of course, he can't be entirely blamed for his players' gross technical errors, such as poor positioning or poorly adjusted cross-field passes. Nonetheless, it can be said that he succeeds in doing what many coaches have failed to do in Paris, winning tough matches.

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