Paris Saint-Germain faces Chelsea at Stamford Bridge (kick-off at 9 pm, CET) this Tuesday in the second leg of their 2025-2026 Champions League Round of 16 tie (5-2 victory in the first leg). A major question is on everyone’s lips among pundits and fans: who will start on the right wing between Désiré Doué (20-year-old midfielder/forward) and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (25-year-old forward)? Elie Baup, former coach who has managed clubs such as Bordeaux, Toulouse, and Olympique de Marseille, offered his perspective to L’Equipe.
Baup: “A club like PSG needs both types of players.”
“It’s a rich man’s choice! They’re both top-level players, and it’s very difficult to favor one over the other; you have to see how they perform in every match. A structure like PSG needs both profiles. Doué is really valuable to the team. He can be in several areas and is always able to create space for others, even when there isn’t any. That’s incredibly important in a positional game.
Dembélé and the forward-thinking midfielders benefit from his movement and passing ability. Add to that his technique, his energy, and his ability to remain composed in key moments, and you have a lot of compelling reasons to choose him.
Baup: “One of Luis Enrique’s strengths is keeping them motivated.”
Kvaratskhelia, on the other hand, is more focused on individual pursuits, finishing off attacks near the goal. In one-on-one situations, even with limited space, he has the technique to go all the way. And he has that…” Coldness, that determination. When you see how he came on against Chelsea… One of Luis Enrique’s strengths is keeping them motivated, and you can see that even when they come off the bench, they can change a game.
The choice is very difficult, with two rather different players who have shown several times that they can start together. Doué has more versatility, with the ability to drop deep almost anywhere to help dictate the play. Kvaratskhelia generally doesn’t drop as deep, but he can do it too. Each player also knows how to make defensive runs and be decisive, especially from outside the box, even if he usually comes in from the left.
It’s a strength of this group to have such a strategic approach going into a big match. There will almost certainly be top-level substitutes ready to give their all, because Luis Enrique always seems to manage to get everyone involved.
Moreover, it’s perfectly conceivable that Kvaratskhelia and Doué will start. Bradley Barcola (23 years old) could be a substitute, even though he scored a nice goal in the first leg. We shouldn’t forget Doué’s contribution in breaking the press and his assist for Ousmane Dembélé.
We can also imagine Dembélé starting in midfield, where Warren Zaïre-Emery (20 years old) is understandably showing signs of fatigue (after more than 30 consecutive starts). Perhaps we shouldn’t limit the discussion to just two players in this squad where versatility and competition are key. And let’s not forget that coach Luis Enrique is certainly capable of tactical maneuvers.
