

The Ligue 1 leaders’ 16-match winning streak ground to a halt on Saturday after a lacklustre goalless draw with Lille, their first blank at the Parc des Princes since the Champions League visit of Real Madrid in October. The 13th-placed side worked hard for their clean sheet but also had the profligacy of Paris striker Edinson Cavani to thank for it.

It was the usual 4-3-3 system for that game but the personnel was much-changed, with one eye on tonight’s encounter. The Parisiens’ central midfield trio was not the same stripped of Verratti and Thiago Motta, and while Blaise Matuidi has generally impressed in our meetings he has been playing through pain. Former Spur Benjamin Stambouli has deputised for Thiago Motta in the holding role.

We know very well the brilliance and occasional lapses of David Luiz, but Saturday showed again that Marquinho might become a decent stand-in for skipper Thiago Motta. Serge Aurier’s absence at right-back is more of a headache for Blanc.

A big addition to PSG’s squad since last we met is dynamic wide midfielder Angel Di María, formerly of Manchester United. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, sent off at the Bridge last season, is another who requires no introduction.

No Chelsea supporter will regret that Ezequiel Lavezzi, responsible for three goals and several assists in his six matches against the Blues, seems bound imminently for China.

Laurent Blanc has said he wants his team to impose themselves on Chelsea rather than wait for things to happen, but that may suit the Londoners’ ability on the counter-attack.



Squad news

Nemanja Matic is suspended, with John Mikel Obi almost certain to resume in centre midfield. John Terry did not travel following the minor injury sustained in Saturday’s 5-1 victory. Oscar has returned to fitness.

Tonight would have been Terry’s 700th appearance for the Blues. The loss of both his first-choice central defenders in one week should mean Guus Hiddink continues with the back for that finished the Newcastle game, youngsters such as Matt Miazga and Jake Clarke-Salter being added to the bench.

January signing Pato is completing his short preseason-style training regime but did not travel to the France capital.

Serge Aurier’s club suspension means Laurent Blanc will turn either to fellow right-back Gregory van der Wiel or Marquinhos, who has been playing in the centre of defence.

Blanc reported neither Marco Verratti nor fellow midfielder Javier Pastore will be fit enough to play a full game this evening. They may dovetail each other or Adrien Rabiot could stand in. Should Verratti be booked he will miss the second leg at the Bridge.

Blanc mysteriously mentioned another casualty he preferred not to name. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Thiago Silva and Maxwell all sat out Saturday’s draw with Lyon, while influential midfielder Blaise Matuidi, Lucas Moura and former Blue David Luiz have all been nursing injuries recently.





CHELSEA IN NUMBERS



Chelsea won our Champions League group for the 10th time in the last 13 campaigns and finished runners-up in two of the remaining three.

The Blues are seeking to reach a fourth Champions League quarter-final in six years, and a seventh in the last 10 campaigns.

Four of Chelsea’s last five away games in the Champions League knockout stages have been drawn. We lost the other.

The Blues are unbeaten in 12 matches since the defeat at Leicester on 14 December.

