PSG Overpower Chelsea 5–2 in Champions League Thriller as Kvaratskhelia Shines

Story: Written by springnewsng March 12,2026
Defending champions Paris Saint‑Germain produced a dominant display to defeat Chelsea 5–2 in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 clash on Wednesday night at the Parc des Princes.
The French giants took control early in the encounter when Bradley Barcola opened the scoring in the 10th minute, giving the home side an early advantage.
Chelsea responded before the half-hour mark as Malo Gusto fired in the equaliser in the 28th minute. However, PSG regained the lead shortly before halftime when Ousmane Dembélé found the net in the 40th minute to restore the hosts’ advantage.
After the break, Enzo Fernández brought Chelsea level again in the 57th minute, briefly raising hopes for the English side. But the match soon swung decisively in PSG’s favour.
Midfielder Vitinha scored in the 74th minute to put PSG ahead for the third time, before substitute Khvicha Kvaratskhelia delivered a brilliant late performance.
The Georgian winger struck twice in the closing stages, scoring in the 86th minute and again in stoppage time to seal an emphatic victory for the hosts and hand them a strong advantage heading into the return leg in London.
The match also saw several disciplinary actions, with PSG players Kvaratskhelia, Kang‑in Lee, Lucas Hernández and Senny Mayulu receiving yellow cards, while Chelsea’s Liam Delap, Roméo Lavia and Alejandro Garnacho were also cautioned.
Ahead of the match, Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior defended his youthful squad, insisting that age should not be a barrier to success. The coach noted that talented young players possess greater potential to grow and develop, highlighting the club’s long-term strategy of building a squad filled with promising talents.
Despite Rosenior’s optimism, Chelsea now face a difficult task in the second leg at Stamford Bridge, where they must overturn a three-goal deficit to keep their Champions League hopes alive.