Thiago Silva has put his allegiances aside to give his honest thoughts on how Chelsea’s clash with Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League will go down this week.
Thiago Silva’s legacy is a tale of two cities, defined by eight years of domestic dominance in Paris and four years in London.
At PSG, Silva became the club’s longest-serving captain, amassing 25 trophies, including seven Ligue 1 titles. Despite his consistency, he often felt like a scapegoat for their Champions League failures, a narrative that only shifted during his final game for the club: the 2020 UCL final defeat.
Joining Chelsea at 35, Silva was initially dismissed as too old for the Premier League, yet he soon shut everyone up. He finally secured his elusive Champions League crown in his debut season, followed by the Super Cup and Club World Cup.
And now he’s given his thoughts on who will win when his two former clubs meet this week.
Who are you starting on the left vs PSG?
Thiago Silva has concerns over Chelsea ahead of PSG clash
Speaking to TNT Sports Brasil, Silva is unsure how Chelsea will fare at the Parc des Princes.
Let me ask you about the game itself. Now switch to commentator mode, okay? As a fan it didn’t work very well — now as a commentator: Chelsea vs Paris Saint-Germain today.
“I watch a lot of football. Chelsea’s schedule is insane. Chelsea played seven games in March, while Paris played four – almost 50% more in the legs. That might not make it easier exactly, but physically I think Paris might be a little more prepared.
“But the Premier League prepares you a lot for difficult situations. The challenges Chelsea faces in competitions – which Paris also has – are different in intensity. Paris will be very well prepared because we already know how Luis Enrique works. Chelsea are reconnecting with their new coach.
“Interestingly, watching Chelsea play, you can already see his influence on the team. There’s still a bit of the previous coach, but he’s already introducing some of his own ideas.”
Joao Pedro is the BEST signing of the Todd Boehly era 💵
At £60m, he seems to be a bit of a bargain!
Thiago Silva responds when asked to pick a winner from Chelsea vs PSG
Thiago Silva sat on the fence when it came to picking a winner, and who can blame him.
Is there a favourite?
“I wouldn’t call a favourite in this match – not just because I played for both teams, but because I think it will be a very difficult game to decide who goes through. Maybe physically, as I mentioned, it could lean slightly toward Paris. But in terms of the game itself, I can’t really say there’s a clear favourite.”
“I don’t like talking about favourites anyway, because in football anything can happen. Something completely unexpected can also happen. Exactly.”
Interestingly, Frank Leboeuf thinks that Moises Caicedo, Reece James and Enzo Fernandez will be giving PSG nightmares even before the game.
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