PSG 1-1 Chelsea: five talking points from Parc des Princes

http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2015/feb/17/psg-chelsea-five-taking-points-champions-league

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1) PSG were right to promise there would be no repeat

Paris Saint-Germain’s rather provocative official Twitter feed had been trumpeting this would be “a different story” throughout the build-up and they were spot on. This time there was to be no barnstorming home win to illuminate the tie and no two-goal advantage to carry to London. Instead they rather belatedly raised their game when confronted by a very different beast: a Chelsea side reinforced down their entire spine, at centre-half aside, and better schooled in the José Mourinho way. Admittedly the hosts were shorn of the injured Thiago Motta and Lucas Moura but they did not really prosper until after the interval. The tie may be tense but a score draw favours Chelsea. Now PSG must make good their social media department’s pledge that “revenge is a dish best served... one year later”.

2) Diego Costa is back and, indeed, an unchanged man

The manager had warned the £32m forward might have been blunted by his recent domestic three-match suspension, a ban which had sidelined Diego Costa since 27 January. In front of goal Mourinho was duly proved correct. There was barely a glimpse here from which the striker might prosper as he sought a first European reward in seven matches stretching back to Atlético Madrid’s visit to Stamford Bridge back in April. But Chelsea were still bolstered by his aggressive presence as their forward focal point. He had buffeted Thiago Silva and left Zlatan Ibrahimovic limping before the midway point of the first half, and was pushing David Luiz away before the end, all confirmation his style will not be changed. The hope is the bite will have returned for the second leg when he will have more game-time in his legs.

3) Matic shows predecessor exactly how it is done

Nowhere was the upgrade in Chelsea’s line-up since last year’s quarter-final felt more keenly than in defensive midfield. David Luiz remains that lovable bundle of frizzy entertainment, his antics here including blatantly rubbing out the referee’s vanishing spray for a free-kick and smearing it a yard to the left, but, thrust into defensive midfield for the first time as a PSG player, there were familiar frailties too, not least when he lost Branislav Ivanovic for the visitors’ first-half goal. David Luiz is a centre-half by choice but had played in midfield for the London club last year with his replacement in the line-up, Nemanja Matic, providing the steady influence, consistency in the decision and strength at the base of Chelsea’s midfield that sides so crave. The Serb had been cup-tied a year ago. He is utterly integral now.

4) Chelsea boast two of the best in Courtois and Cech

Thibaut Courtois needed an authoritative performance here. The young Belgian had been rested in Chelsea’s previous game, a tight contest with Everton, after an uncharacteristically shaky offering at Villa Park and Petr Cech’s excellence in his stead had provided a reminder that, as Mourinho has regularly stated, “we possess two of the best goalkeepers in the world”. Yet Courtois is perceived as his manager’s first-choice, his absence prompting raised eyebrows. So there was relief to be had when he dived to block Blaise Matuidi’s early header, when he turned aside Edinson Cavani’s near-post flick and, most dramatically, when he pushed away Ibrahimovic’s header in stoppage time. That was a timely moment for the goalkeeper to demonstrate his class.

5In Ibrahimovic PSG must now put their trust

The Swede’s opportunity in the last moments stood out as rare, Ibrahimovic having previously stirred only to sting Courtois’s hands early in the second half having slalomed his way between defenders. There was to be no personal reward to stamp his influence on the tie. Regardless, the French side must now pin their hopes on him to prove more effective back in London. A year ago his hamstring had pinged in Paris to leave him sidelined as Cavani fluffed his lines at Stamford Bridge. This time he should travel fit and focused as he attempts to break his duck against Mourinho’s teams. The striker scored 28 goals in 46 matches for the Portuguese at Internazionale, yet he has never scored against him in seven attempts. Surely that must change if Chelsea are to be beaten in the return.