- PSG lead Ligue 1 with 18 wins from 25 games and are averaging more than 2.1 goals per game.
- Chelsea are in the EPL’s European places and have won two of their last five matches, including a 4-1 away win over Aston Villa.
- PSG and Chelsea have played each other nine times in major competitions, with each club holding three wins and three draws, including a 3-0 Chelsea win in the 2025 Club World Cup final.
Two of Europe’s best teams will battle it out in Paris
Paris Saint-Germain FC and Chelsea are two of the biggest clubs in the world and, in the view of many, the best two clubs in Europe right now. They have met each other nine times in their illustrious histories, and a sub-plot of their own could add extra spice to this first leg. Chelsea’s 3-0 win over PSG in the 2025 Club World Cup is not forgotten and the Blues will want to rub salt into the wound with a positive result at the Parc des Princes.
Luis Enrique’s Paris Saint-Germain are the masters of direct play and high-tempo football with a 4-3-3 formation that allows their attacking full backs to overlap and press high up the pitch. With the quality they have in the side, the players can press in packs and overrun teams, while Vitinha is the engine room’s beating heart. Vitinha is PSG’s most creative playmaker, capable of creating goals from midfield and providing assists to make him PSG’s top assist provider, while Warren Zaïre-Emery and João Neves provide energy and goals from the centre.
Chelsea are more methodical in their build-up, rotating players from the first line, playing with the ball out wide and playing full backs in inverted positions. They have a lot more structure to their play with a methodical tempo and a more coordinated counter-press than PSG, who press in waves.
PSG and Chelsea both in good form and in full flight
Paris-Saint-Germain have won three of their last five, drawn one and lost 3-1 to Monaco. They are in good shape domestically and have a Champions League win under their belts.
Chelsea have been more up-and-down in recent weeks, winning two, drawing two and losing one of their last five. Liam Rosenior’s pragmatic but energetic pressing style has been good for them since he took over in January and the London club are flying in attack. They have the pace to punish teams on the counter, while João Pedro is the most prolific striker on the pitch and Reece James is a good set-piece option and leader of the line on the right-hand side.
Bradley Barcola is PSG’s leading scorer in Ligue 1 and is their biggest threat on the break, while the return to fitness of Ousmane Dembélé has provided PSG with the creative flair needed to blow teams away.
An exciting affair should keep the odds on
Paris-Saint-Germain have the home advantage, are in better domestic form, and have more creative players in the squad to win this game. However, we must remember that Chelsea beat PSG 3-0 in the final of the 2025 Club World Cup and have some real attacking talent to threaten with on Wednesday.
The bookmakers have odds of 83/100 for a home win on PSG, 57/20 on an away win for Chelsea and 14/5 for the draw. We’re going to take the odds on the away team, who are underdogs, and take the draw. PSG will likely win the first leg but Chelsea have a knack of springing a surprise on PSG and the tie should be closer than the bookies think. Over 2.5 goals is priced at 57/100 so we should expect an exciting matchup at Parc des Princes on Wednesday.
