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Liam Rosenior, Manager of Chelsea, speaks to the media during a Chelsea FC Press Conference (Photo by Jasper Wax/Getty Images)
Chelsea travel to Paris on Wednesday night for the Champions League last-16 first leg against Paris Saint-Germain. The game represents the Blues’ biggest test under new boss Liam Rosenior. PSG won the Champions League last season before losing to Chelsea in the Club World Cup final.
Rosenior has rotated his squad carefully through a congested fixture schedule. Key players were rested during Saturday’s FA Cup win over Wrexham. Cole Palmer, Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo didn’t travel. All three should be fresh for the Parc des Princes.
Meanwhile, Tuesday’s training session at Cobham brought news that changes the outlook for the weeks ahead.
The Update From Chelsea Training
Levi Colwill was spotted in Chelsea‘s training session for the first time this season, on Tuesday ahead of the trip to Paris. Photos from the session showed the defender working with the group. He took to Instagram later in the day sharing the picture, captioning it ‘Back with the boys‘.
Colwill hasn’t appeared in a competitive match since July. A torn ACL suffered during an August training session has kept him out for the entire campaign. All 42 of Chelsea’s games this season have happened without him.
Reece James was also visible in training after concerns were raised Monday when he did not appear in the limited photos released.
CFC Pics
Levi Colwill on IG 💙
What the Timeline Actually Shows
Simon Johnson of The Athletic clarified the situation shortly after the training photos emerged.
Johnson explained that while Colwill’s presence was encouraging, the timeline hasn’t dramatically changed. This wasn’t his first session with the squad. The recovery is progressing, but playing again remains weeks away at minimum. Chelsea are targeting a return before the season ends, assuming the final rehabilitation stages go smoothly.
Chelsea’s defensive struggles this season have made Colwill’s absence painful. The team has cycled through different center back partnerships without finding stability. Colwill was developing into one of their most dependable defenders before the injury removed him entirely.
Nine Premier League games remain. Whether he features in any of them depends on how his body responds to the final rehab stages.
GettyLevi Colwill #6 of Chelsea FC. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)
What Awaits in Paris
PSG boss Luis Enrique is dealing with his own problems heading into Wednesday.
PSG have lost seven times across all competitions this season. Four of those defeats have come in 2026. Their lead at the top of Ligue 1 has been trimmed to a single point after Friday’s 3-1 home loss to Monaco.
Chelsea bring momentum. Joao Pedro has been devastating under Rosenior with nine goals and five assists over the past two months. His hat-trick against Aston Villa last Wednesday was followed by another goal in the Wrexham win. He scored in the Club World Cup final and will be looking to hurt PSG again.
Palmer has found his rhythm with six goals in nine appearances since Rosenior arrived. His two goals and an assist in that July final reminded everyone what he’s capable of at his best.
Estevao won’t be available. The hamstring injury that’s kept him out for nearly a month means he didn’t make the traveling squad. Jamie Gittens also remains unavailable.
The objective for Wednesday is straightforward. Don’t give PSG a commanding advantage to protect in the second leg. PSG are vulnerable. Chelsea need to exploit that without overextending.
Final Word for Chelsea
Levi Colwill’s appearance at training provided encouragement. Seeing him work with the group reminded everyone what Chelsea will have back in the near future.
PSG are the defending European champions. But Chelsea have beaten them before. Wednesday night requires complete focus for the Blues. Rosenior will have his team ready.
All eyes on Paris.