In an electrifying encounter at the Parc des Princes, Paris Saint-Germain secured a commanding 5-2 victory over Chelsea in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 tie on March 11, 2026. The match saw substitute Khvicha Kvaratskhelia play a pivotal role, scoring twice and providing an assist, helping the defending champions establish a strong lead heading into the second leg.

Match Highlights

PSG initially took the lead with goals from Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Dembele, but Chelsea responded each time through Malo Gusto and Enzo Fernandez. As the match progressed, PSG found their rhythm, with Vitinha and Kvaratskhelia netting three late goals to secure the decisive win. Despite showcasing some defensive vulnerabilities reminiscent of their previous encounter with Chelsea in the Club World Cup final, PSG displayed moments of the dynamic football that led them to their first European Cup triumph last season.

Reactions from the Coaches

Kvaratskhelia expressed his satisfaction with the team's performance, stating, "I'm happy that I can help, happy that we won against Chelsea because they are a good team. We are still PSG. We showed everybody that we are capable of everything." Chelsea's coach, Liam Rosenior, reflected on the match's closing moments, lamenting the concession of the fifth goal. "I was really happy with our performance but the last 15-20 minutes were crazy. The scoreline is painful because we were in the tie for 75 minutes. At the Champions League level it's fine margins, the fifth goal is the most painful," he noted during a press conference.

PSG manager Luis Enrique praised his team's resilience, emphasizing their determination to push for victory despite conceding twice. "Despite conceding twice after taking the lead, we continued to go for the win against a team who were very strong physically and technically and we’ll get more of the same in London," he said. With the second leg set to take place at Stamford Bridge, both teams will be eager to secure their place in the next round of the tournament.