Chelsea performed well but ultimately have left themselves a mountain to climb in the second leg of the Champions League Round of 16.
The Blues were defeated 5-2 by PSG in France, with goals from Malo Gusto and Enzo Fernandez now seeming a long time ago.
Liam Rosenior’s side were competitive for the majority of the 90 minutes, but paid the price for a terrible end to the game to see them trail badly.
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Chelsea XI vs PSG
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The Chelsea Chronicle have listed five things we have learned from Chelsea’s first leg defeat.
Chelsea need a new goalkeeper
Rosenior has made the decision recently to drop Robert Sanchez, replacing him with Filip Jorgensen, largely for his ability on the ball.
It was his passing that got Chelsea in trouble for PSG’s third goal, kicking off their terrible end to the game.
Jorgensen should also have done better for the final goal, and if Chelsea are going to be a serious threat in Europe they are going to need a new goalkeeper.
Pedro Neto still has a part to play at Chelsea
Chelsea fans had actually voted for the club to sell Pedro Neto, but his performance against PSG was actually one of the bright spots against PSG.
His hard work and pace alone created the goal for Fernandez, and his defensive work-rate made him an easy choice over the in-form Alejandro Garnacho.
He was lucky to avoid a sanction for a late clash with a ballboy, but should certainly be named in the starting side at Stamford Bridge.
Paris Saint-Germain FC v Chelsea FC - UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Round of 16 First Leg
Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Chelsea fall apart without Joao Pedro
This wasn’t one of Joao Pedro’s best games for Chelsea, but the performance levels after he was substituted off showed just how important he is to the club.
This is no slight on Liam Delap, but the Blues lost any form of fight or desire in the attacking areas when the Brazilian was taken off.
Even when Pedro doesn’t score, he is still so important to this Chelsea side.
Enzo Fernandez has to play centrally
After featuring on the left at times recently, Fernandez was back in a central role, and Chelsea benefitted from this greatly.
The Argentine was the high scorer in our player ratings, and scored a fine goal at a time where Chelsea were probably the better side.
Chelsea’s left side has been a problem recently, but Fernandez should not be used to solve that conundrum due to how much he brings in the central position.
Chelsea will need Stamford Bridge to be electric
Chelsea’s chances of qualification are now slim, but Stamford Bridge has seen plenty of special nights in the past.
The Blues are going to need the home crowd to mirror the atmosphere created when they beat Borussia Dortmund under Graham Potter if they are to get anything from this game.
An early goal could completely change the direction of this tie, and the Chelsea fans have a part to play to inspire their players.
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