Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, the president of Paris Saint-Germain, is not at the Parc des Princes for the Champions League round-of-16 match against Chelsea on March 11, 2026. This is the first time the 52-year-old has missed a home Champions League game since he took over the club in 2011. The war with Iran has made it impossible for him to continue his streak.
Al-Khelaïfi, who was visiting Doha, Qatar, has been stranded in the Middle East due to widespread flight delays caused by the worsening conflict in the region. Travel to and from the region has been significantly affected by airspace restrictions and grounded flights following recent military strikes.
Attempts to get a flight out of Doha, either the night before the match or early Wednesday morning, were completely unsuccessful. Even though he isn’t there in person, Al-Khelaïfi has reportedly remained involved in the preparations, staying in touch with sporting director Luis Campos and the coaching staff in the days leading up to the important European tie.
Chelsea Arrive In Paris Feeling Good After Beating PSG In The Club World Cup
Liam Rosenior’s Chelsea team are heading to the French capital with a lot of confidence, largely because of their history. The Blues shocked everyone by beating the reigning European champions 3-0 in the Club World Cup final last summer. Cole Palmer scored twice in the first 30 minutes, and João Pedro’s goal ended the game before half-time.
Before this first leg, Rosenior said that age wouldn’t be a problem for his young team. He pointed out that PSG’s Champions League win showed that youth isn’t a barrier to European success. Chelsea have won their last six UEFA games against French teams and their last three Champions League last-16 games. This gives Rosenior even more reason to be hopeful going into this match.
Rosenior has picked a strong XI, with Filip Jorgensen in goal and a back four of Malo Gusto, Trevoh Chalobah, Wesley Fofana, and Marc Cucurella behind him. Moises Caicedo and Captain Reece James are in charge of the midfield, while Cole Palmer, Enzo Fernández, Pedro Neto, and João Pedro lead the attack. The second leg will take place at Stamford Bridge next week.