All the odds are against Chelsea tonight as Liam Rosenior’s side are tasked with winning the second leg by three goals, just to take the tie into extra time – but Ousmane Dembele’s comments offer hope.
After an hour in the first leg, Chelsea looked well-positioned. The game was level at 2-2, and avoiding defeat in Paris would have given Liam Rosenior’s side a chance of knocking the reigning champions out.
But Chelsea have a habit of capitulating. They did it against Leeds, against Burnley too. On a grander scale, they did it against PSG, who scored another three goals in the final 30 minutes of the first leg.
Has he seen us lately? 🤣
Ousmane Dembele talking about Chelsea
Photo by Glenn Gervot – PSG / PSG via Getty Images
It leaves Chelsea with a 5-2 aggregate scoreline to overcome. It is plain and simple, Chelsea must win by three goals to take the game into extra time, but Dembele’s press conference quotes are a big boost.
Ousmane Dembele discusses PSG tactics in press conference
PSG’s star man was asked about his side’s approach for the second leg, and surprisingly, he was rather brazen about how the French champions would approach the game. Most would defend their lead.
FBL-EUR-C1-PSG-TRAINING
Photo by Toby Shepheard / AFP via Getty Images
Protect the lead, sit in, and frustrate the opponent, relying on the lead built in the first leg. But that is not the PSG way, according to Dembele. He says PSG will go and look to win the game as if it were any other.
“Our mindset is always to win matches. We can’t just sit back in our own half trying to defend a lead. We’re three goals ahead, but we’re going to keep attacking, with the determination to win.”
It will come as a boost to Chelsea. While PSG have the attacking quality to add to the score, Dembele suggests Luis Enrique’s side will leave gaps in behind and offer Chelsea the ability to create and score.
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Instead of PSG sitting in, getting 11 players behind the ball and simply protecting what they have, it appears Enrique’s men will gift Chelsea the chance to add to the two goals they scored in Paris.
We’ve all seen the historic Champions League comebacks. Liverpool are brilliant at it. But Chelsea have produced their own too, even against PSG. The Blues need to call on the atmosphere of 2014.
The squad will remember their 3-0 Club World Cup final win over PSG. An early goal will create nerves and garner a cauldron of an atmosphere. Dembele suggests PSG will give Chelsea the chance to do that.
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