Despite his usual preference for late surprises, Luis Enrique has reportedly shown his hand ahead of tonight’s clash, with French outlets revealing that Joao Neves and Ousmane Dembele are set to start against Chelsea in the Champions League.
There’s been an intense build-up to this clash between PSG and Chelsea in the Champions League, given the bad blood that was on show in the summer at the FIFA Club World Cup.
Luis Enrique appeared to strike Joao Pedro at full-time, which sparked a big confrontation, and there’s been a sour taste in the mouth ever since.
But it was Chelsea who came away with smiles on their faces after a dominant 3-0 win. Despite this, players like Bradley Barcola insist that there is no feeling of revenge from his side.
Luis Enrique is the first manager to show his hand before the game.
Can Chelsea produce a repeat of the Club World Cup final?
PSG aren't the side they were last season!
Luis Enrique to start Joao Neves and Ousmane Dembele vs Chelsea
According to L’Equipe (as per MaxFSport), their sources are hearing JoaoNeves is back and will start, and so will Ousmane Dembele.
There were previous question marks about both, but Enrique is going for it.
Ousmane Dembele has enjoyed a historic 2025/26 campaign, winning the 2025 Ballon d’Or after tallying 33 goals and 15 assists.
Meanwhile, 21-year-old Joao Neves has become indispensable, contributing five goals and recording a 92% pass accuracy.
Who are you starting on the left vs PSG?
Chelsea’s starting XI to face PSG should be…
Here’s what we think Chelsea’s XI should be.
By starting Filip Jorgensen, Rosenior rewards the keeper’s distribution skills, which are vital for bypassing Luis Enrique’s aggressive press. The backline of Gusto, Fofana, Chalobah, and Cucurella offers the recovery speed necessary to track Bradley Barcola, while Chalobah and Fofana provide a much more settled central defensive partnership.
The Club World Cup formula returns in midfield, with Reece James pushing into a pivot alongside Moises Caicedo. This physical double-lock allows Enzo Fernandez the freedom to operate as a high-tenancy playmaker, feeding the electric front three of Palmer, Joao Pedro, and Alejandro Garnacho.
With Garnacho’s directness on the left and Pedro’s striker movement, Chelsea can exploit the space behind PSG’s high line, turning the Parisians’ own game against them.
Join Our Newsletter
Receive a digest of our best Chelsea content each week direct to your mailbox