PSG/Chelsea – Paris handed a warning and some advice

In partnership with

Parisfans.fr

·28 Februari 2026

PSG/Chelsea – Paris handed a warning and some advice

Paris Saint-Germain faces Chelsea in the Round of 16 of the 2025-2026 Champions League (first leg on March 11 at Parc des Princes, return leg on the 17th at Stamford Bridge). Christophe Jallet, former right-back who notably played for PSG and is now a consultant for Canal+ (broadcaster of the Champions League and Premier League), shared the keys to Paris’s qualification with the newspaper Le Parisien.

Jallet: “Paris will have to be at 100%, if not more, if they want to go through”

“They’re a tough opponent with players capable of making a big impact. Enzo Fernandez, Caicedo, Fofana, Reece James… These guys really bring it, and you see it regularly in high-intensity Premier League matches. There’s also Cucurella, who is an atypical player but represents this Chelsea team that knows how to rise to the occasion in big games and bring a lot of commitment. Paris will have to be at 100%, if not more, if they want to make it to the next round.”

Jallet: “Be efficient in both boxes to punish them.”

A weakness? From time to time, they lose focus. Paris will have control of the game and will really need to be efficient in both boxes to punish them. There’s an opportunity because Chelsea isn’t exactly a powerhouse in the league, even though people thought they would pick up momentum after the World Cup. They haven’t managed to find that continuity with such a large squad, egos, and players to manage who aren’t necessarily used to playing together. They lack consistency from one match to another, but also within the same match. Cole Palmer is a bit of a symbol of that: he has moments of brilliance but also a lot of quiet spells.”

Obviously, PSG will no longer have room for the inefficiency that weighed down the end of their group stage, nor for the dips in intensity seen recently. There are circumstances that explain it, but that won’t change the result. Paris must find the resources for two top-level performances. There is reason to be hopeful.

Video OneFootball

Notably because the Parisian staff has very likely planned their season management to peak for this final sprint, something coach Luis Enrique has often emphasized. He says he’s reaching the most important moment of the season. Of course, injuries are a real challenge. But there are solutions, and some returns (João Neves, Ousmane Dembélé, and Senny Mayulu) are expected in the coming days.

Let’s not forget that PSG is always capable of playing at a very high level and has shown it, especially in the Champions League. The only thing missing was efficiency in the last matches of the group stage. They need to find that spark for the matches against Chelsea. A team that will pose a big physical challenge, but is not perfect either. Their recent coaching change is proof of that (Liam Rosenior replaced Enzo Maresca a few weeks ago). Nothing will be easy, but Paris has its chances.

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