Clinical PSG bury Chelsea to reach Champions League quarter-finals
Paris Saint-Germain eliminated any possibility of Chelsea mounting a recovery with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia contributing to the goals in a sharp 3-0 win at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday, advancing the defending champions to the Champions League quarter-finals with an 8-2 aggregate score.
The Georgian players initial goal came early, trailed by an impressive effort from Bradley Barcola, swiftly dashing Chelseas ambitions of overturning the 5-2 disadvantage from the previous weeks opening last-16 match.
Then, replacement Senny Mayulu netted PSGs third during the latter period, allowing Luis Enriques squad to progress to an eighth-final clash next month versus either Liverpool or Galatasaray, with the Turkish team holding a 1-0 lead from their first encounter at Anfield on Wednesday.
PSGs aspiration to defend their Champions League crown stays vibrant, one year on from securing the prize for the initial time in club history.
The club, supported by Qatar, achieved a decisive triumph in this matchup, avenging their defeat to the Blues in the previous Julys Club World Cup decider, suggesting they are regaining peak performance precisely when needed.
"It feels incredible. Scoring three times on the road against Chelsea counts as a strong performance, and crucially, we must sustain this high level, so lets maintain this momentum," Kvaratskhelia shared with Canal Plus broadcaster.
This marked their fourth success in a home-and-away elimination series versus Premier League foes since last years commencement, though while that statistic impresses, Chelsea seemed far below the standard demanded in Europes top club tournament.
Liam Roseniors side scarcely showed conviction in reversing their breakdown from six days prior at Parc des Princes, where late strikes shifted them from level at 2-2 to trailing 5-2.
"A challenging evening. We anticipated the difficulty, yet we commenced in that very fashion," Rosenior remarked to TNT Sports.
Now, their focus shifts to securing Champions League qualification for the upcoming campaign, following a grim week bookended by two losses to PSG alongside a home Premier League defeat to Newcastle United.
"During tough spells, ensure your routines remain solid," Rosenior continued.
"We face a stern test at Everton on Saturday, demanding our peak to secure points there."
Robert Sanchez featured in goal, mirroring his weekend role, since Filip Jorgensen had stepped in for the Spaniard and bore responsibility for PSGs vital third in the initial fixture.
No chance
PSG, in turn, handed Kvaratskhelia a starting spot after his substitute appearance yielded a late brace in Paris that tipped the balance firmly towards his outfit.
The French capital team also arrived feeling more rested, having had their planned weekend Ligue 1 fixture against Nantes postponed to support their readiness.
Merely six minutes in, they led when Mamadou Sarr, on his Champions League bow, erred on a lengthy clearance from PSG custodian Matvey Safonov, enabling Kvaratskhelia to overpower the youthful Chelsea back and slot past Sanchez.
The follow-up arrived at the 15-minute mark, as Warren Zaire-Emery fed Achraf Hakimi on the flank and the Moroccan picked out Barcola, who settled the ball near the penalty area before rifling a fine shot into the upper left corner.
The contest was effectively settled then, prompting home supporters to exit in numbers when the third arrived shortly past the hour.
Kvaratskhelia paved the way along the left flank before his pass centrally reached Mayulu, the 19-year-old who entered for Joao Neves at the interval, and he offered Sanchez no opportunity with a precise initial shot.
This represented the 65th concession for Chelsea this term, and a dismal night worsened when Trevoh Chalobah required stretcher transport late, forcing the hosts to conclude with ten players after exhausting their changes.
Rosenior noted the defender suffered a twisted ankle and expressed hope that "its not overly grave."