PSG Finally Prove Champions League Credentials After Knocking out Chelsea

STAMFORD BRIDGE, LONDON—Paris Saint-Germain are into the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League after a 2-2 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday.

Having drawn 1-1 in the opener in Paris last month, the defending French champions advance 3-3 on away goals and by the same aggregate score that Jose Mourinho’s men edged them out in last season’s final eight.

Goals from former Chelsea man David Luiz and captain Thiago Silva were enough to cancel out both Gary Cahill’s opener and an Eden Hazard penalty, but most impressive was the fact that PSG were able to do all of this with 10 men.

Alastair Grant/Associated Press

After just 32 minutes in London, Les Parisiens were down to 10 men after Zlatan Ibrahimovic controversially saw red. What followed was 85 minutes of sheer heroics from Laurent Blanc’s men and the players’ committed performance left their coach delighted.

"The players produced an extraordinary match, from start to finish,” Le President told PSG.fr after the match. “I enjoyed looking at the statistics. We had as much possession as them, made more passes and had more corners than Chelsea. We were ruthlessly efficient.”

“It's a great evening for all those that love this club. It's a great joy,” the Frenchman continued. “We received a real blow when Zlatan was sent off, but I felt that the players weren't about to panic. When a club qualifies like that, it's that everyone played well. There will be more great matches to come. We are very happy."

It was indeed a great performance and one that will go down in the club’s history, perhaps as the moment that the ambitious French outfit joined Europe’s elite.

Now, with a bona fide European giant as their victims, PSG can rightly call themselves a continental power and gain the respect that the team deserves from inside and outside of France.

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For the opening 32 minutes of the clash at Stamford Bridge, it was a tale of two well-organised defences. Then, suddenly, the game burst into life when a late Ibrahimovic tackle caught Oscar in a 50/50 challenge.

Referee Bjorn Kuipers harshly sent the Swede off and emotions ran high for the remainder of the half, with the Dutchman dishing out three more yellow cards before the break.

After the restart, another booking followed, but PSG then produced a moment of magic to create an opening.

Edinson Cavani, played in brilliantly by Javier Pastore after some sensational skill from Marco Verratti in the build-up, rounded Thibaut Courtois as he bore down on goal. However, at the same end of Stamford Bridge and in an eerily similar position to last season’s crucial miss, the Uruguayan saw his effort hit the post and come out.

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PSG’s big chance had passed and the 10 men knew it, judging by the deflated reactions of Verratti and Blaise Matuidi, not to mention the disbelief on Blanc’s face on the touchline.

Another trio of bookings came 16 minutes from time and the game entered the final 10 minutes and it looked as if Mourinho’s men would hold on.

They did better than that; Cahill smashed home after PSG failed to adequately clear a Cesc Fabregas corner and the momentum was with the hosts late on.

However, Les Parisiens knew coming into the game that even conceding a goal did not necessarily mean game over and the French capital outfit did not let their heads drop.

Four minutes from the end of the 90, Luiz rose highest to head a thumping effort past Courtois from substitute Ezequiel Lavezzi’s corner to pull PSG back on level terms and send the game to extra time. It was no less than the defending French champions deserved.

Matt Dunham/Associated Press

Chelsea were soon back in front, with Hazard scoring from the spot after Silva clumsily handled the ball and this time Blanc’s men were staring elimination in the face with time running out.

Matt Dunham/Associated Press

The Brazilian thought he had atoned for his error when he sent a headed effort goal-bound from another Lavezzi corner just seven minutes from the end of extra time, only to see Courtois make a spectacular flying save.

But the South American was not to be denied again, scoring with a magnificent looping header from a Thiago Motta corner seconds later to effectively end the tie.

It finished 2-2, meaning that PSG avenged the heartache inflicted by last season’s away-goals exit in London. But more importantly, it was a statement that the French giants are part of Europe’s elite.

Matt Dunham/Associated Press

The much-maligned Blanc has proven himself capable of securing a big result when it is most needed and the PSG players have finally demonstrated their ability to pull together and play as a team on the biggest of matches.

Even though they have gone no further than they did last season, for now at least, Les Parisiens’ ambitious Qatari owners will rightly view the elimination of Mourinho’s Chelsea as progress. It was a privilege to be present and watch the unbridled celebrations after the match as PSG players, staff and supporters alike delighted in the capital club’s coming of age.