Big Match Feature: PSG v Chelsea

Form guide (all competitions, most recent first)

Paris: DWWWWW

Chelsea: WDDWWD

Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea meet in the Uefa Champions League knockout rounds for the third successive season. In each of the previous two campaigns, the winners progressed on away goals.

After the group stage the London side appointed Guus Hiddink, coach of PSV Eindhoven when they lifted the European Champion Clubs' Cup in 1987/88, as interim manager in place of José Mourinho.

Match Background

Paris

Laurent Blanc's side are aiming for a fourth successive appearance in the quarterfinals, having lost to FC Barcelona in both 2013 and last season.

The 3-1 home defeat by Barcelona in the 2014/15 quarterfinal first leg was Paris' only home reverse in 37 games in European competition (24 wins, 12 draws) since Hapoel Tel-Aviv FC beat them in the 2006/07 Uefa Cup group stage.

This season they overcame both Malmö FF and FC Shakhtar Donetsk 2-0 at home, either side of a goalless draw with Real Madrid CF as they finished second in Group A.

The Parisian club have played 11 matches against English sides with the record W2 D5 L4. At home it is W2 D2 L1.

Chelsea

That 2004 win in Paris is Chelsea's only triumph on French soil in seven visits. They have lost four of their 14 games against Ligue 1 clubs, all those defeats coming away from home.

In the 2003/04 Uefa Champions League semifinal first leg they went down 3-1 at AS Monaco FC, succumbing 5-3 on aggregate.

Chelsea beat Blanc's FC Girondins de Bordeaux team 4-0 in London in the 2008/09 group stage before a 1-1 draw in France.

The Blues are looking to reach a fourth quarterfinal in six years, and a seventh in the last ten campaigns.

The Londoners won their group for the tenth time in their last 13 campaigns, finishing as runners-up twice more in that period. Away from home in Group G, they lost at FC Porto (1-2), drew 0-0 at FC Dynamo Kyiv and won 4-0 at Maccabi Tel-Aviv.

Laurent Blanc, Paris coach

We'll need to impose our game on Chelsea, a team who are capable of beating us. We met Chelsea in the past two seasons: they beat us once and we eliminated them once, which shows that the level of the two teams is very similar. The Champions League gives them an opportunity for positive things in an otherwise difficult season, and their manager is very experienced having won the competition already.

Terry's absence could be very important for Chelsea, as he's an important player both on the pitch and in terms of team spirit; he's also very important on set pieces. We saw that on Saturday – when he went off, it completely changed the defensive line.

I still have two uncertainties regarding my line-up: between Marquinhos and [Gregory] Van der Wiel for right-back, and also another one. I almost have a full squad available – apart from a player who ruled himself out [Serge Aurier]. I know that Marco [Verratti, groin] is not fit enough for 90 minutes but I want to use him. Now I have to chose whether he will start or finish the game. Apart from that, the squad is very focused on the match.

We all know our entire season will be judged on our Champions League campaign – for most media, not winning the league is not an option, and it would also look bad not to win both domestic cups. The Champions League is something else, because we only face clubs that have the same level or higher as us.

We have the capacity to do well in this competition, more so that in previous years, notably thanks to our experienced players. Starting now, we'll only face teams that have the quality to win it. But that's when things become the most interesting for the club, for the players and for the manager. We have the potential to win this competition.

Guus Hiddink, Chelsea manager

I agree it's 50-50 [for the tie]. Paris are building a very strong team, dominating the French league. To become a great club, a team must win the Champions League, and they're certainly aiming for it. On our side, we've been improving since December, but it'll be a great test to get to the next round.

We're growing. Everyone knows the current situation of Chelsea. We're improving step by step, with quality players. We are not yet where we want to be, to be able to impose our style of play, but we've had a string of games with dominant play from us.

Marco Verratti, although still young, is a key players for Paris, and for Italy. But PSG have very good replacements if he doesn't start – like we do with John Terry. Big clubs always have big replacements.

Did you know?

The sides' two most recent ties both ended 3-3 on aggregate, Chelsea winning the first on away goals in 2013/14, and Paris prevailing in the second last spring

Coach and player links

Luiz joined Paris in 2014 after three and a half years and 81 Premier League appearances for Chelsea, scoring six times.

He played the full 120 minutes of the 2012 final against FC Bayern München, converting his spot kick in the shoot-out. He also featured in the defeat of SL Benfica in the 2013 Uefa Europa League final in Amsterdam.

Alex also swapped Stamford Bridge for the Parc des Princes; Claude Makélélé, Nicolas Anelka and Mateja Kežman all played for both teams.

Blanc ended his playing days at Manchester United FC between 2001 and 2003, figuring in both league meetings against Chelsea in his first season – 3-0 victories for the away teams – and a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge in his second.

In 2010/11 Hazard helped LOSC Lille beat Paris 1-0 in the French Cup final; a week later he played in a 2-2 draw at the Parc des Princes which gave LOSC their first French double since 1946. The Belgian lost just one of nine Ligue 1 matches against Paris, scoring in a 2-1 home success in April 2012.

Loïc Rémy represented Marseille between 2010 and 2013, scoring in a 3-0 Ligue 1 home win over Paris in November 2011; César Azpilicueta helped set up one of the goals.

Played in England: Di María, Manchester United (2014/15); Benjamin Stambouli, Tottenham Hotspur FC (2014/15).

International teammates:

Kurt Zouma, Rémy, Matuidi and Lavyin Kurzawa (France)

Thiago Silva, Luiz, Lucas and Marquinhos; Oscar and Ramires (Brazil)

Oscar scored in Brazil's 3-0 friendly success over Blaise Matuidi's France on 9 June 2013 in Porto Alegre.

Matuidi got both goals in France's 2-1 win against Ivanovic's Serbia on 7 September 2015 in a Bordeaux friendly.

Hazard scored for, and captained, a Belgium side featuring Thibaut Courtois in a 4-3 win against France in a Stade de France friendly on 7 June 2015.

Lavezzi scored in Argentina's 1-1 draw against Willian's Brazil on 14 November 2015 in a Fifa World Cup 2018 qualifier in Buenos Aires. Angel Di Maria also played for the hosts as did Luiz (who was sent off) for Brazil. Oscar remained on the bench.

Match facts

Paris

Paris' run of 16 successive wins in all competitions ended when they drew 0-0 at home with LOSC Lille on Saturday. Blanc rested Ibrahimovic, Maxwell, Thiago Motta and Thiago Silva.

Pastore (out since 16 January, calf) and Marco Verratti (31 January, groin) made their returns against LOSC, the latter replacing the former at halftime.

Blanc's team are unbeaten in their last 44 domestic matches (not including the French Super Cup, played in Montreal), 35 of which have been in Ligue 1. On 3 February, they eclipsed FC Nantes' French top-flight record of 32 games without defeat, set in 1995, when they overcame FC Lorient 3-1.

Winners of the last two editions, Paris will face LOSC in the French League Cup final on 23 April.

On 10 February, Ibrahimovic scored twice in a 3-0 French Cup round of 16 triumph over Olympique Lyonnais, who Paris also eliminated en route to the League Cup final. They will visit AS Saint-Étienne in the last eight on 2 March.

Jean-Kévin Augustin struck as Paris beat FC Internazionale Milano 1-0 in a friendly in Qatar on 30 December.

Blanc signed a two-year contract extension on 11 February, tying him to the club until 2018.

Uefa Champions League squad changes

In: none

Out: none

Chelsea

Since Mourinho was dismissed on 17 December, Chelsea have gone 12 games unbeaten in all competitions.

Chelsea appointed Hiddink as interim manager for a second time two days later. The Blues have drawn six of his 11 matches in charge.

The west Londoners recorded their biggest Premier League victory this season when they defeated Newcastle United FC 5-1 at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, Pedro Rodríguez scoring twice.

Terry (muscular injury) made way for Baba Rahman seven minutes before halftime.

Kurt Zouma damaged the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during the 1-1 draw against Manchester United on 7 February and was subsequently ruled out for six months.

Chelsea will host Manchester City FC in the FA Cup fifth round on 21 February.

Four of Willian's five goals in the group stage were free-kicks.

Diego Costa has scored eight goals since Hiddink took charge, four more than he managed this season under Mourinho.

Uefa Champions League squad changes

In: Matt Miazga (New York Red Bulls), Alexandre Pato (SC Corinthians Paulista, loan)

Out: Mitchell Beeney, Radamel Falcao, Ramires (Jiangsu Suning FC)

Possible Line-ups

Paris: Trapp; Marquinhos (Van der Wiel), Thiago Silva, David Luiz, Maxwell; Matuidi, Thiago Motta, Verratti (Rabiot); Di María, Ibrahimovic, Cavani.

Out: Aurier (disciplinary), Lavezzi (unspecified)

Doubtful: Pastore (hamstring)

Misses next match if booked: Aurier, Verratti

Chelsea: Courtois; Azpilicueta, Ivanovic, Cahill, Rahman; Fàbregas, Mikel; Hazard, Willian, Pedro; Costa.

Out: Zouma (knee), Terry (hamstring, ligament), Matic (suspended)

Doubtful: Oscar (calf)

Misses next match if booked: none