Chelsea 1-2 PSG (2- 4)
Chelsea slumped to defeat by a familiar enemy as they were knocked out of the Champions League by PSG for the second consecutive season.
Goals from Adrien Rabiot and Zlatan Ibrahimovic sandwiched a Diego Costa strike as the French side progressed to the quarter-finals.
And the 2-1 defeat mirrored the Parc des Princes result to condemn Guus Hiddink’s men to consecutive Round of 16 knock-outs by the same opposition.
Defeat also more than likely signalled the end of Chelsea’s Champions League participation for at least the next 18 months.
The Blues came close to levelling the aggregate score after just two minutes when Kevin Trapp denied Diego Costa from the edge of the box
But former Manchester United winger Angel Di Maria nearly extended the visitors’ lead when he slotted beyond Thibaut Courtois only for Branislav Ivanovic to block his shot off the line.
Rabiot ensured that Laurent Blanc’s men did extend their lead when Ibrahimovic squared for the 20-year-old to tap in at the far post in the 17th minute.
Hiddink’s men pulled one back just ten minutes later though, when Spain international Costa turned Thiago Silva and drilled into the net from 18 yards to give the hosts hope.
The Blues pressed hard and nearly found themselves level when Cesc Fabregas curled an effort just wide of Trapp’s far post, before the German reacted to keep out Costa from 20 yards.
And Chelsea came excruciatingly close to the goal they needed to force extra time when Willian cut inside and forced a great save from Trapp, who recovered rapidly to deny Hazard’s rebound.
But the French side provided a sucker-punch just a minute later, when Ibrahimovic fired home from six yards after Di Maria’s cross to put PSG two goals ahead and kill the tie.
