Current title holders Paris Saint-Germain obliterated Chelsea 5-2 at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday night to take command of their last-16 tie in the 2026 Champions League. PSG sub Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scored twice after entering the fray in the 62nd minute.
The 25-year-old Georgian replaced France international Désiré Doué, who was hooked shortly after allowing Pedro Neto to dispossess him and power down the left wing to set up Enzo Fernandez for Chelsea's second equaliser of the night.
But as Doué languished on the sidelines, Kvaratskhelia exploited the visitors' increasing brittleness.
At 2-2, with just over 15 minutes remaining, Chelsea goalkeeper Filip Joergensen opened up the cracks. PSG's Bradley Barcola blocked the Dane's intended pass out from the back and directed the ball to Kvaratskhelia, who shunted it back for Vitinha to lob Joergensen and restore the Parisians' lead.
Four minutes from time, Chelsea skipper Reece James was the next at fault. Senny Mayulu robbed him of the ball in midfield and it quickly found its way to Kvaratskhelia on the left. The Georgian drifted to the right and from 25 metres smacked his shot around Joergensen's despairing dive.
At 4-2, the faithful were rejoicing. But their cup was about to run over in second-half stoppage time.
A slick Vitinha back-heel set teammate Achraf Hakimi off down the right wing. The Morocco international looked up and slid the ball across the penalty area for Kvaratskhelia to slot home under Joergensen for 5-2.
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Benchmark match
PSG, who thrashed Inter Milan 5-0 last May to claim the Champions League trophy for the first time, will start the second leg on 17 March at Stamford Bridge in west London as favourites to progress to the last eight.
Until the three-goal salvo, Chelsea appeared to have weathered PSG's intensity.
Barcola opened the scoring in the 10th minute. The France international collected Joao Neves' headed knockdown and thrashed the ball into the net high to Joergensen's right.
PSG swaggered on. Crisp passing through the lines threatened to overwhelm Chelsea. Joergensen pushed Ousmane Dembélé's strike from the left onto the post five minutes later. And he had to dive low to his left shortly after to tip Barcola's curler around the post.
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But then Chelsea levelled after 28 minutes. Fernandez spotted Malo Gusto alone on the right. The France international gathered the ball, weighed up his options and shot straight at the PSG goalkeeper Matvey Safanov. Fortunately for Gusto, the Russian allowed the ball to squirm under him into the net.
Safonov redeemed himself just before half time. He parried Cole Palmer's snap shot and a couple of passes after the save sent Dembélé running at the Chelsea goal. With Hakimi to his left, Dembélé twisted Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana right and left before slotting past Joergensen to give his side a 2-1 lead at half time.
"We prepared well for the match as we knew we had to play with intensity from the start," Barcola told French broadcaster Canal+.
"There are a few mistakes to correct but overall it's very good. It's one of our benchmark matches this season. We will build on it."
