Two days before the PSG vs. Chelsea showdown, it is already possible to identify the trends for the lineups of the two teams for this Champions League round of 16 first leg. There are a few absentees to note, and Luis Enrique will have important choices to make, particularly in midfield and attack.

Rather sluggish lately and beaten last Friday by Monaco in Ligue 1, PSG returns to the Champions League this Wednesday night with a showdown in the round of 16 first leg against Chelsea, which defeated them last summer in the Club World Cup final. If Luis Enrique is not driven by a feeling of revenge, his players have not forgotten that match and will be keen to set the record straight.

For this PSG vs. Chelsea match at the Parc des Princes, Fabian Ruiz and Quentin Ndjantou will be absent, but Joao Neves should make his return to the squad after two weeks out.

In goal, Matvey Safonov will feature again and should be accompanied by the standard defense composed of Achraf Hakimi, Marquinhos, Willian Pacho, and Nuno Mendes, from right to left. In midfield, we see Warren Zaire-Emery feature again, this time as a left-side midfielder, with Vitinha as the holding midfielder and Joao Neves as the right-side midfielder. If Neves is too short on fitness, Senny Mayulu could start, he who made his return from injury Friday against Monaco as a substitute for Dro Fernandez.

Finally, there remains the question of the attack with Ousmane Dembele, who played 30 minutes against Monaco last Friday. Will he be able to start this Wednesday against Chelsea? That is far from certain. Bradley Barcola, Desire Doue, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia are also candidates for a starting spot Wednesday night, and Luis Enrique will inevitably leave one of these four players disappointed.

PSG predicted lineup vs. Chelsea: Safonov; Hakimi, Marquinhos (c), Pacho, Mendes; Neves, Vitinha, Zaire-Emery; Kvaratskhelia, Dembele (or Doue), Barcola.

On Chelsea's side, which rotated heavily in the FA Cup during its 4-2 victory after extra time against Wrexham on Saturday, Liam Rosenior has almost a full squad and will have choices to make, including a very important one at the goalkeeper position. The English coach, formerly of Strasbourg, brought back Robert Sanchez on Saturday in the FA Cup after having dropped him from the starting eleven a few days earlier during his team's 4-1 victory against Aston Villa. Dane Filip Jorgensen had played that match and seems well-positioned to start against PSG.

Marc Cucurella, meanwhile, made his return from injury last week, and after playing 11 minutes against the Villans, he played 55 minutes on Saturday. The Spanish left back could therefore return to the starting lineup this Wednesday. For the rest, there are uncertainties at the right back position, where both Malo Gusto and Reece James could start. The English captain can also play in the Blues' three-man midfield.

At the winger positions, Alejandro Garnacho is coming back well, but will be in competition with Pedro Neto and Cole Palmer. In attack, one must obviously be wary of Joao Pedro, author of a hat trick last week against Aston Villa and of a goal Saturday against the Welsh side Wrexham after coming on as a substitute.

Chelsea predicted lineup vs. PSG: Jorgensen; Gusto, Fofana, Chalobah, Cucurella; James (c), Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez; Palmer, Joao Pedro, Garnacho (or Neto).

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