UCL: PSG establish commanding lead against Chelsea
Paris Saint-Germain will head to Stamford Bridge with a considerable lead to protect in their Champions League knockout tie thanks to a 5-2 win over Chelsea at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday night.
Barcola gives PSG a perfect start
Before PSG broke away, it had been a topsy-turvy game, as the reigning European champions struggled to break away from the team that beat them in the final of the Club World Cup last summer.
But unlike in that game in the USA, it was the Premier League side who were constantly on the back foot in this encounter. Les Parisiens struck in the 10th minute when Bradley Barcola volleyed a Joao Neves cushioned header and rifled his shot off the underside of the bar and past Filip Jorgensen.
The lead was almost doubled when Ousmane Dembélé, starting for the first time in a fortnight, saw his shot palmed onto the near post (15'). But the Blues were always a threat, especially in transition, and Malo Gusto then tied the scores. He was afforded too much space at the back post, allowing him to control and beat Matvey Safonov with a half-volley (28').
Chelsea then almost took the lead from a Cole Palmer volley, but instead, PSG immediately raced down the other end and Dembélé toyed with Wesley Fofana before beating Jorgensen with a deflected finish (40').
The Champion of Europe strikes first 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/yR6281ZcXT
— Ligue 1 English (@Ligue1_ENG) March 11, 2026
The tie was levelled once again when Enzo Fernández (57') finished a swift Chelsea counterattack, timing his run perfectly to get onto Pedro Neto's cross, but the pendulum would swing once more.
Unlike Chelsea, whose first change came in the 84th minute, PSG were proactive in turning to the bench as they looked to steer the tie in their favour, and it was one of Luis Enrique's substitutes that would make the difference.
Kvaratskhelia decisive off the bench
Khvicha Kvaratkshelia provided the pass in a quick exchange of passes after Jorgensen fluffed his lines with his clearance. In a glorious position, Vitinha nonetheless had to keep his cool to chip the Dane and give PSG the lead for the third time on the night (75').
The Georgia international then curled home a wonderful effort in the 87th minute as the visitors began to tire. And it was Kvaratskhelia again who provided the cherry on top of the cake for Les Parisiens, turning an Achraf Hakimi ball across goal past Jorgensen (94').
The fifth and final goal for PSG came with the final kick of the game and leaves them in a very commanding position as they look to progress to the next phase of the UCL and defend their title.
ThE STAT: 5
PSG became the first Ligue 1 McDonald's team to score five goals against a Premier League team in a knockout game in the Champions League. A night of revenge for Luis Enrique's side who responded to their defeat in the USA last summer.
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