Paris Saint-Germain vs Chelsea: 11 things you need to know as the Blues travel to the French capital
It is the first leg of the last-16 tie, with Guus Hiddink
looking to steer his side into the quarter-finals of the Champions
League
AFP/Getty
We meet again: PSG and Chelsea will renew hostilities
The last months of Jose Mourinho's Chelsea tenure were largely miserable - but he did manage to steer the Blues into the Champions League knockout stages as group winners.
A last-16 tie against Paris Saint-Germain was probably the last thing fans at Stamford Bridge wanted - but it gives the rest of us a mouthwatering prospect.
It is a repeat of last season's quarter-final, with Chelsea looking for revenge over their French counterparts.
They travel to the Parc des Princes for the first leg, but what time is kick off? And where can you watch it?
Here are 11 things you need to know...
1. When is the match and where can I see it?
Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea will clash at 7.45pm on Tuesday evening - with all the action live on BT Sport.
Mirror Football will be running a LIVE blog so you can keep up with proceedings if you can't get near a television.
2. Team news
AFP/Getty
Return: Zlatan is likely to go straight back into the starting lineup
PSG: The French champions are set to recall
Zlatan Ibrahimovic, captain Thiago Silva and Thiago Motta to their
ranks, who were all rested for the 0-0 draw with Lille on Saturday.
They
will be without Serge Aurier who has been suspended by the clubs
following homophobic remarks made about boss Laurent Blanc. Marco
Verratti will not start, despite making his return from a two-week
injury lay-off on Saturday. Chelsea: The Blues will be without skipper John Terry, who has been ruled out with a knee injury.
Oscar (calf) returns to the squad, while Alexandre Pato has not travelled and Nemanja Matic is suspended.
3. Predicted sides
PSG:
Chelsea:
4. Reasons for PSG fans to be optimistic
They are unbeaten in their last 23 matches in all competitions.
PSG won 17 games in a row prior to Saturday's 0-0 draw with Lille.
The French champions beat Chelsea over two legs in the knockout stages of last year's Champions League.
5. Reasons for Chelsea fans to be optimistic
The Blues are themselves on a 12-match unbeaten run.
Despite struggles in the Premier League, Chelsea won four and drew one of their six group matches in Europe.
They are coming off the back of a 5-1 demolition of Newcastle at the weekend.
Dare to Zlatan: Ibra could hold the key for PSG
Wherever he goes - he wins. Zlatan Ibrahimovic has cemented his place as one of the world's best marksmen, and Chelsea will have to keep him quiet in the French capital.
Even
at 34, latan has plundered 21 goals in just 20 Ligue 1 appearances so
far this term, adding a further six in the Coupe de France and Champions
League.
He will be nonchalant, he will be obnoxious - and there is every chance he could be brilliant.
PSG will be looking to the Swede to give them an advantage to take back to Stamford Bridge.
9. Chelsea's key man
AFP/Getty
Stopper: Cahill needs to step up in Terry's absence
If Chelsea are to go back to Stamford Bridge confident of qualification - they need to be strong at the back. Step up Gary Cahill.
In
John Terry's absence, it will be up to Cahill to marshal a patched-up
back four, likely to see Branislav Ivanovic partnering him in the
central positions, flanked by Cesar Azpilicueta and Baba Rahman.
Cahill
hasn't been a regular starter this season until recent weeks, with talk
he may even leave the club in January in the hunt for more first-team
football ahead of Euro 2016.
He will have to put all that behind him on Paris as the Blues search for what would be a vital clean sheet.
10. Betting odds
PSG: 13/20 Draw: 11/4 Chelsea: 5/1 Odds collected from Unibet
11. Quote corner
Geoffroy Van der Hasselt/AFP/Getty Images
Tough test: Motta thinks Chelsea are stronger now than under Mourinho
Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Thiago Motta on Chelsea post-Jose Mourinho: "They have changed the way they play.
"When we played them in the last two seasons, they were a counter-attacking team who did not want the ball.
"Now, they try to play. It will be difficult.”
Chelsea boss Guus Hiddink on John Terry's absence: “He (Terry) was having too much trouble to travel.
"Even to try tomorrow... We made a test this morning and didn't work out well, so the decision was made to leave him at home.
“He
was, himself, also convinced he could not be of worth to the team at
the moment. He has a bit of a problem on his hamstring and on the tendon
in that area.
“That's why we had the test this morning and we
decided he would not participate. It will be difficult to say whether he
can play this weekend. That's why we'd prefer him to keep undergoing
treatment at home.
“Of course, not having John is a bit of a
set-back. He's a leader. But I'm not the type of coach to moan and moan.
We have to go on. The players who will replace him I have complete
faith in them.”
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