Chelsea 2 - 2 PSG (aet): Blues exit UCL
Scorers: Chelsea - Cahill (81), Hazard (96pen); Paris St Germain - Luiz (86),Thiago Silva (114)
The first leg was drawn 1-1 and Chelsea’s advantage grew when Zlatan Ibrahimovic was harshly sent off after 31 minutes.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdGary Cahill’s strike nine minutes from the end of normal time was cancelled out by former Chelsea defender David Luiz, but the hosts went ahead for a second time through an Eden Hazard penalty early in extra-time.
PSG captain Thiago Silva, who conceded the spot-kick for handball, was denied from a corner by Thibaut Courtois but then netted with a header moments later to make it 2-2 on the night and send the visitors through.
The Frenchmen exited the competition last term to Chelsea on the away goals rule, but advanced to the last eight for a third straight season.
Jose Mourinho and Chelsea, meanwhile, are left to focus on their Premier League title bid.
PSG were fortunate not to be reduced to nine men in the first half when Luiz elbowed Diego Costa off the ball.
Striker Costa was then denied a penalty after a trip by Edinson Cavani as Dutch referee Bjorn Kuipers had three big decisions to make within 12 minutes and arguably got all of them wrong.
Jeremy Clarkson, the Top Gear presenter watching on after his suspension for his involvement in a fracas, may have enjoyed PSG living up to their pre-match billing as the “most aggressive” side Chelsea have played this term. The visitors had begun well in their bid to emulate Bradford, the League One side who inflicted Chelsea’s only prior loss at Stamford Bridge this term.
Cavani hit a post after rounding Courtois, who then saved from Javier Pastore
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdCosta might have been sent off for a foul on Silva and a confrontation with Luiz. As it was Costa and Luiz received only yellows.
Cahill converted after a corner and Luiz headed in before Silva was adjudged to have handled and Hazard converted the resulting penalty.
Courtois made a miraculous save to deny Silva before the PSG skipper’s looping header from the resulting corner beat the goalkeeper.
It was unusual to see Chelsea concede two set-piece goals and they were made to pay after being second best in the contest.
The Capital One Cup winners exited the competition and there is the distinct possibility of no English presence in the quarter-final draw on 20 March, unless Arsenal and Manchester City can overturn deficits next week.
The controversy which overshadowed the first leg at Parc des Princes three weeks ago – when a commuter was subject to racist abuse on the Paris Metro – was confined to the pitch in a fractious encounter.
Ibrahimovic saw red, dismissed for a challenge on Oscar which was more clumsy than malicious as he attempted to pull out of the 50-50 tackle.
Referee Kuipers was quick to make his decision, although he was surrounded by nine Chelsea players as he pulled the card out of his top pocket and a melee ensued with Luiz and Costa prominent and Thiago Motta booked.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdIbrahimovic now has more Champions League red cards than goals against English clubs – four versus three in 18 matches, all against Arsenal.
Chelsea: Courtois, Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta, Matic (Zouma 84), Ramires (Drogba 91), Fabregas,Oscar (Willian 46),Hazard,Costa. Subs not used: Cech, Luis, Remy, Cuadrado.
PSG: Sirigu, Marquinhos, Thiago Silva, Luiz, Maxwell, Thiago Motta, Matuidi (Rabiot 82),Verratti (Lavezzi 82), Pastore (van der Wiel 117), Cavani, Ibrahimovic. Subs not used: Douchez, Camara, Bahebeck, Digne.
FOLLOW US
SCOTSMAN TABLET AND MOBILE APPS