PSG and Chelsea met for the third straight year in the Champions League round of 16. Here is a look back at how the match unfolded.
Nothing like running into the same team that you’ve had to face in the past two years in the Champions League. PSG and Chelsea have become well-acquainted with each other. The first time, it ended in a 3-3 aggregate with Chelsea moving on thanks to the away goal rule. The next time, last year, it was the exact opposite.
It was all PSG from the onset. In front of a passionate pack of Parisians in the Parc des Princes, PSG looked ready to strike quickly and build a comfortable lead. Zlatan Ibrahimovic looked particularly inspired to put the 11 babies opposite him to bed. Opportunities continued to pass on both sides as the game got a bit testy. Yellow cards started accumulating pretty quickly, and the game started to turn into goals.
Yet, the second half resumed where the first half began — goals from open play were impossible to come by. Courtios and Trapp were just too good. That being said, Courtios ability was not going to hinder PSG’s continue efforts to pelt the goal. Those efforts finally prevailed when Cavani proved the difference maker, capping off the match 2-1 in PSG’s favor.
Here a look back at the highlights, the top performers and more.
Three stars
Zlatan Ibrahimovic: Zlatan isn’t necessarily here for the deflected goal, but for the demonstrative impact he made throughout the match. He was at the center of most things, offensive and even defensive.
Willian: The Brazilian is really coming into his own this year, as he was everywhere on the pitch. He is tireless on and off the ball and was a crucial piece of nearly every major play.
Kevin Trapp: This match could have gone sour early if Kevin Trapp had not had the game he had. He made two amazing saves in particular and kept this PSG side where they needed to be.
Highlights
The first real highlight came in the 24th minute as Diego Costa received a lovely cross that he turned on goal. Unfortunately, Trapp got enough of the ball to flick it onto the cross bar. Here’s a look:
While Costa was technically offside, it is hard to complain given the fantastic save it took to keep it out. With Costa successfully on the highlight reel, albeit on the wrong side, Zlatan made his mark as well, putting in the first goal of the match in the 38th minute. Here’s the goal:
The deflection did it, but a goal is a goal. And it also never figured to be the last of the goals, as just before half, a corner kick fell fortuitously to Jon-Obi Mikel, who knew where to put it. Observe:
Safe to say he made up for his foul at the other end. It was also PSG’s first home goal surrendered in the Champions League this year. But it would not stop there. Cavani came on to give PSG that edge and it worked out masterful in the form of this:
It was the lead PSG was seemingly heading towards all match.
Upcoming Schedule
PSG return to domestic dominance. They will be facing Lyon on February 28th and Montpellier on March 5th with a French Cup Quarter-Final against ASSE wedged in between on March 4th. They travel to England to face Chelsea on March 9th.
Chelsea will resume life in the bottom half of the Premier League table. They have a mess of games coming up before PSG come to town. Macnhester City, Southampton, Norwich City and Stoke City will all be on the docket before the Champions League resumes at Stamford Bridge.