PSG v Chelsea: English club push Club World Cup further out of reach | OneFootball

Before the clash between Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea in the Champions League Round of 16 (March 11 and 17), David Barnard, Chelsea’s Director of Football Operations, sought to calm things down on Canal+. For him, a two-legged tie has nothing in common with a “one-off” match, even if last summer is still fresh in everyone’s mind. Paris Saint-Germain has been warned: over 180 minutes, the approach changes entirely.

Barnard: “We’re playing this big Paris team”

In a two-legged tie, the objective isn’t to “win the match” at every moment, but to survive the different phases. The first leg often serves to set the tone: protect your weak moments, strike during your strong ones, and above all, avoid panicking when the script flips. That’s what Barnard emphasizes: a one-off match can be decided by a single moment, a sending off, a flash of inspiration.

Over two games, mistakes add up, adjustments are made, and tactical truths eventually come to light. Chelsea also points this out because their previous encounter with Paris, the Club World Cup final won 3-0, doesn’t say much about a two-legged tie, where you can be punished one night… and bounce back the next.

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