While the last match before PSG vs. Chelsea was a disaster against Monaco (1-3), there is at least one piece of good news on the horizon: Joao Neves should return for this match.

The final outing before the first leg of the round of 16 against Chelsea was very painful for PSG this Friday night, as they were beaten by Monaco, who presented the same arguments as in the return playoff, and Paris was unable to respond this time. The rare good news came from the returns to competition of two former injured players: midfielder Senny Mayulu and, especially, Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele, who made a sparkling entry into the game, if not totally convincing.

While the first leg against Chelsea will take place next Wednesday, and the return only six days later, the fact that the Parisian infirmary is finally emptying a little is very good news, even if Fabian Ruiz's absence was confirmed by the capital club as soon as the draw was made. A slight doubt exists for the return leg, but the Spaniard has been absent for a month and a half now and will be out of form.

The very good news, above all, is the announced return of Joao Neves, who has been out since the return playoff against AS Monaco with an ankle injury. The Portuguese midfielder had resumed training before Friday's match against Monaco, according to the press, but PSG still listed him in its medical update, noting a recovery, and he had not been selected by Luis Enrique. According to RMC, Neves should indeed make his return for the first leg of the round of 16.

While the Parisian midfield is suffering and cannot find any complementarity between Vitinha, Zaïre-Emery, and a third man to be defined, the reintegration into the starting eleven of the Portuguese international is necessarily good news, even if he will not necessarily be at 100% after spending practically two weeks in the Parisian infirmary.

And beyond the names of the players who will compose this midfield, it will above all be necessary to find complementarity and technical accuracy. Aligned as a right midfielder in recent matches, Warren Zaïre-Emery has shown difficulties in this position, particularly when it comes to combining with the players around him. For months now, Neves has been the true starting right midfielder and the best complement to Hakimi.

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