On Wednesday evening, Paris Saint-Germain defeated Chelsea 5-2 in the first leg of their 2025-2026 Champions League Round of 16 tie (second leg on March 17) at the Parc des Princes. Here are the highs and lows of this victory.
Highs –
❤️ Bradley Barcola reignites his form.
Approximately one year after his last Champions League goal, during a period when PSG is struggling with finishing, the 23-year-old striker opened the scoring with a superb strike and delivered a generally impressive performance. This can only be a huge boost for both the team and the player. The challenge now is to maintain this form, especially considering the match was far from easy.
Kvaratskhelia too.
The 25-year-old striker is a frequent target of criticism, and this time he was on the bench facing stiff competition. He made a great entrance, capped off with a superb goal that did wonders for his chances. This was evident at the end of the match, with a brace and an assist, earning him the Man of the Match award despite coming off the bench.
João Neves’ return.
The 21-year-old midfielder was a bit of a doubt for this match, but he ultimately got his start. João Neves demonstrated his importance with numerous ball recoveries and interceptions, not to mention his accurate play.
Willian Pacho, the rock.
For reasons unknown, there had been some focus in recent days on Willian Pacho’s poor form and potential concerns. The 24-year-old defender responded brilliantly tonight with a strong performance to keep João Pedro quiet.
Flops –
😡 Two big misses for Nuno Mendes.
Regarding both goals, Bradley Barcola and Désiré Doué could have done better. But Nuno Mendes bears the primary responsibility. On the first goal, he strangely stopped tracking back, as if there was time to spare. On the second, his missed opportunity put the team in difficulty. We still don’t doubt his talent, but he needs to find more discipline in his game.
