Advertisement

PSG

PSG knocked out after losing 2-0 to Chelsea

Ben McPartland
Ben McPartland - [email protected]
PSG knocked out after losing 2-0 to Chelsea
Chelsea end PSG's Champions League dream. Photo: Adrien Dennis/AFP

PSG conceded a crushing late goal to Chelsea that ended their Champions League hopes on Wednesday night. The London club won 2-0 on the night but went through on the away goals rule.

Advertisement

Paris-born Demba Ba was the hero as Chelsea advanced to the Champions League semi-finals at Paris Saint-Germain's expense, while Real Madrid also progressed on Tuesday despite a second-leg defeat to
Borussia Dortmund.

Having lost 3-1 in last week's first leg in France, Chelsea fought back to win 2-0 at Stamford Bridge and go through on away goals to their seventh semi-final in 11 years as substitute Ba netted the decisive goal late on.

While a first-leg win was not enough for PSG, it was for Madrid, who are into their fourth consecutive semi-final 3-2 on aggregate despite losing 2-0 away to Dortmund in Germany as Marco Reus scored a brace.

Jose Mourinho is aiming to become the first manager to win the European Cup with three different clubs, but the odds were stacked against Chelsea coming back from their defeat in the French capital six days ago, even if PSG were without injured talisman Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Indeed, Chelsea lost a key attacking threat of their own inside 18 minutes when the injured Eden Hazard had to be replaced by Andre Schuerrle.

But the German winger Schuerrle opened the scoring on the night in the 32nd minute, taking advantage of ball watching by Lucas to convert a long throw-in from the right that had been helped on by David Luiz.

The tie was now on a knife-edge and Schuerrle lashed a shot off the bar six minutes into the second half before an Oscar free-kick came crashing back off the woodwork.

It took PSG almost an hour just to touch the ball in the Chelsea box but they had chances late on, Edinson Cavani missing their best opening when he latched onto a Yohan Cabaye pass over the top but fired over.

And PSG were left to regret not grabbing an away goal as Ba - who was born in the Paris suburb of Sevres but has spent his entire professional career outside France - stole in front of Maxwell to bundle home a Cesar Azpilicueta ball into the area in the 87th minute.

"It was very much deserved that the team that tried to defend was punished. The team that played with their heart deserved to go through," Mourinho told ITV, while PSG coach Laurent Blanc felt his men were a little unlucky.

"We were dangerous on the break but couldn't convert any of our chances. In my opinion the difference between the two teams was not enormous," he said.

Blanc's PSG side however were left to regret their lack of ambition as they sat back too much in the hope of defending their 3-1 lead, that in the end it proved not to be enough.

PSG's bid to get their hands on the coveted Champions League trophy will have to wait another year.

More

Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.

Please log in to leave a comment.

See Also