PSG vs Chelsea preview, prediction, team news and head-to-head

• Both teams to score

• Over 3.5 goals

• Match to end in a draw

Eight months since their Club World Cup heroics against the European champions, Chelsea will reacquaint themselves with Paris Saint-Germain as they head to the Parc de Princes in the Champions League round of 16 on Wednesday night.

Just like last season en route to lifting their first ever Champions League trophy, PSG missed out on automatic last-16 qualification this term. They were once again forced to enter the knockout round playoffs after finishing 11th in the League Phase, winning just one of their final five matches (D2 L2).

PSG have struggled for consistency this season due to injuries and a dip in the form of key players. Last Friday’s 3-1 Ligue 1 defeat to Monaco highlighted those struggles.

Chelsea, for their part, head into this clash off the back of an unconvincing 4-2 victory at Wrexham in the FA Cup fifth round. They eased through the league phase despite dropping points to Bayern Munich, Qarabag and Atalanta, securing automatic progression.

Only three teams bettered Chelsea’s five victories in the UCL league phase. However, they have won just once on the road in the competition.

The Blues will also be encouraged by their performance against PSG last time out and the hosts’ own struggles.

Chelsea have won two, drawn four and lost three of their nine meetings with PSG. Their last meeting at the Club World Cup final ended in a 3-0 victory for the Blues.

PSG head into their clash with Chelsea having lost only one of their last eight games against English opposition in UEFA competition (W5 D2) and have won their last three two-legged ties against Premier League sides.

These were all in last season's Champions League when they knocked out Liverpool, Aston Villa and Arsenal in the last 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals respectively.

PSG Champions League form: 🟩🟧🟥🟧🟩🟧 

PSG form (all competitions): 🟥🟩🟩🟧🟩🟥

Chelsea Champions League form: 🟩🟧🟩🟥🟩🟩

Chelsea form (all competitions): 🟧🟩🟧🟥🟩🟩

PSG pair Fabian Ruiz (knee) and Quentin Ndjantou (hamstring) are sidelined with injuries, while Joao Neves has made progress in his recovery from an ankle issue that has kept him out of the last three matches and he could feature on Wednesday, pending a late fitness test.

Enrique will weigh up whether to recall captain Marquinhos, who has been an unused substitute in the last two games, or stick with the pairing of Illia Zabarnyi and William Pacho at centre-back.

Ousmane Dembele featured as a second-half substitute in PSG’s Ligue 1 loss to Monaco last time out after missing the previous three matches with a calf injury. The Frenchman has scored a joint team-high 11 goals this term and could be ready to start in attack with Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

As for Chelsea, Estevao Willian, Jamie Gittens (both hamstring), Levi Colwill (ACL) and Mykhaylo Mudryk (suspended) all remain sidelined, while Wesley Fofana (thigh) should be fit to return to the first XI and play alongside Trevoh Chalobah at centre-back.

In-form Joao Pedro has scored 11 goals in his last 12 games across all tournaments and is expected to continue ahead of Liam Delap up front. Pedro Neto and Alejandro Garnacho will compete for a start on the left side of attack.

PSG: Safonov; Hakimi, Zabarnyi, Pacho, Mendes; Neves, Vitinha, Zaire-Emery; Doue, Dembele, Kvaratskhelia

Chelsea: Sanchez; James, Fofana, Chalobah, Cucurella; Caicedo, Santos; Palmer, Fernandez, Neto; Pedro

PSG have never been involved in a goalless draw in the Champions League knockout phase, a run that currently stands at 58 games. Hence, it is difficult to envisage a contest without goals between these two attack-minded sides on Wednesday.

There is little to separate these two teams, who have experienced inconsistent runs of form in recent weeks, and we can see the spoils being shared on this occasion. Expect the tie to remain  finely poised ahead of next week’s second leg at Stamford Bridge.

Correct score prediction: PSG 2-2 Chelsea