This Tuesday, Paris Saint-Germain faces Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the second leg of their 2025-2026 Champions League Round of 16 tie (PSG won the first leg 5-2) (kick-off at 9 pm, CET). On Monday evening, Le Parisien published a predicted starting lineup for PSG.
Barcola – Dembélé – Kvaratskhelia
Neves – Vitinha – Zaïre-Emery
Mendes – Pacho – Marquinhos – Hakimi
Safonov
This lineup seems entirely plausible, given the first-leg results and the players’ current form. However, there could still be some surprises, as PSG coach Luis Enrique doesn’t give any information to the press and is known for planning his strategy. Not to mention the fierce competition for places in the squad, which is difficult to observe.
We will therefore have to wait for the official announcement, which is expected around an hour before kick-off, for confirmation. Even though we can field a strong team from the starting lineup, Désiré Doué could very well be on the bench, given his teammates’ performances. However, his contribution to pressing and defensive efforts in the first leg shouldn’t be underestimated. This could lead to him starting in midfield, especially since Warren Zaïre-Emery is struggling physically from playing so many matches in quick succession.
