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Chelsea's English head coach Liam Rosenior. (Photo by Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP via Getty Images)
Chelsea fell to Paris Saint-Germain 5-2 on Wednesday night in the Champions League last-16 first leg at the Parc des Princes. The final scoreline was brutal. The way it happened was worse.
Chelsea had clawed back to 2-2 after falling behind twice. Malo Gusto equalized first. Enzo Fernandez did it again in the second half, after a brilliant run by Neto. The Blues were in control.
Then Filip Jorgensen played a pass straight to Bradley Barcola on the edge of the area. Vitinha lobbed the stranded goalkeeper. Chelsea fell apart from there. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia came off the bench and scored twice in the final stages to complete the collapse.
Rosenior’s Statement After the Loss
Rosenior didn’t point fingers after the match. He pointed them at himself.
“I take responsibility. I’m accountable for that,” Rosenior told TNT Sports.
The decision to start Jorgensen over Robert Sanchez was his call. Jorgensen was stepping into the biggest match of his career. The risk backfired.
Rosenior explained his reasoning in the post-match press conference. Chelsea needed composure against PSG’s aggressive press. Jorgensen had helped them keep possession in the 4-1 win over Aston Villa by staying calm under pressure. The same approach was supposed to work in Paris.
“One of the reasons we won at Aston Villa was because we were so calm in our possession moments,” Rosenior said. “Coming here against a really high-pressing team, if you stay calm and play through the initial press, you can cause problems, which we did.”
PSG registered 0.8 expected goals and scored five times. Chelsea controlled large stretches and lost by three.
GettyPARIS, FRANCE – MARCH 11: Vitinha of Paris Saint-Germain scores his team’s third goal past Filip Jorgensen of Chelsea during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Round of 16 First Leg match between Paris Saint-Germain FC and Chelsea FC at Parc des Princes on March 11, 2026 in Paris, France. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Carragher Questions Goalkeeper Situation
Jamie Carragher has been saying it for months. Wednesday night gave him more ammunition.
“They can’t go any further until they sort the goalkeeping position out,” Carragher said on CBS Sports. “I’ve been saying this consistently.”
Carragher acknowledged the quality elsewhere in Chelsea’s squad. The tactical setup under Rosenior impressed him. But the goalkeeper position remains a problem.
“The new owners have come in and spent billions,” Carragher said. “Looking at that team, they’ve got some great players. Tactically they were fantastic tonight. They were let down by mistakes.”
The mistakes extended beyond Jorgensen’s error. Chelsea were caught out of position for the fifth. Cole Palmer missed a crucial chance moments before Dembele scored to put PSG ahead 2-1.
“Big mistakes cost them at centre-back and goalkeeper,” Carragher said. “That will continue to be an issue for any Chelsea manager going forward when they’re trying to win the Premier League and the Champions League.”
CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️
“They can’t go any further until they sort the goalkeeping position out… Tactically they were fantastic tonight. They were let down by mistakes.” @Carra23 discusses where Chelsea fell short against PSG 🗣️
What Comes Next for Chelsea
Newcastle arrives Saturday. The second leg comes Tuesday. Chelsea need three goals at Stamford Bridge just to force extra time while keeping PSG off the scoresheet.
The deficit is steep. Chelsea beat this same PSG team 3-0 in the Club World Cup final last summer. They know they can hurt them.
Reece James addressed what comes next.
“We need to put this behind us and look forward,” James said.
PSG had a Ligue 1 match postponed to give them a full week of rest before the second leg. Chelsea play Newcastle on Saturday, then turn around for Tuesday night.
Final Word for Chelsea
Liam Rosenior took responsibility for the decision that changed the match. Filip Jorgensen held his hands up to his teammates. Jamie Carragher questioned whether Chelsea can compete at the highest level until they fix the goalkeeper position.
Chelsea were the better team for long stretches. And then a fatal error cost them the game. And perhaps the tie.
Newcastle comes first on Saturday. The second leg arrives Tuesday. The work begins now.