Chelsea lacked the drive to take this and were beaten by the better side

For 89 minutes, following the sending off of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Chelsea faced 10 men.

And for almost all of those 89 minutes, it was they and not their opponents who looked outnumbered.

PSG had more drive and determination, and so often in this match their hosts looked tired and leggy.

The two goals they netted – both powerful headers from defenders David Luiz and Thiago Silva – were characteristic of a performance which saw the French side get into the mix that bit more than the Blues.

Chelsea looked like they were already happy with concentrating on the league – which they now, of course, have the dubious luxury of doing.

Shouting the odds: Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho

Mourinho will surely have to stop moaning about 'Costa's crimes'

Week-in, week-out the Chelsea boss has criticised the handling by some in te media of Diego Costa's misdemeanours.

But they were there for all to see tonight – and he got away with the worst ones too.

A lunge from behind on Thiago Silva earned him a yellow card, when it should have been red.

An off the ball shove on Marquinhos moments later could easily have been another red.

Someone needs to take Costa into a quiet room, and rather than cossetting him for his imperfections, needs to tell him that they must cease.

And that someone is Jose Mourinho.

Control: PSG's Zlatan Ibrahimovic in action with Chelsea's Gary Cahill

Zlatan bottled it on the big stage

The talking point of the first half was what many insisted was a 'soft' red card to Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

But watch it again – both feet off the ground, and there is contact in that lunge.

With Oscar also having both feet aloft, but getting to the ball first – the Chelsea man is perhaps lucky, as this could have gone either way.

But the ref had the decision made for him – something you wouldn't expect of someone of Ibrahimovic's experience.

And yet again, the man who keeps telling us 'I Am Zlatan' showed that he is many things – but he simply isn't up for it when the pinch really comes in a huge match such as this.

He may, at least, be able to made amends for his side in later rounds.

Ouch! Chelsea's Diego Costa clashes with PSG's David Luiz

David Luiz and Diego Costa won't be swapping Christmas cards

For a man who still seems on pretty decent terms with most of his old Chelsea teammates, David Luiz is certainly less than keen on one or two new boys.

He and Cesc Fabregas shared no love in the first leg – but it was Diego Costa for whom he reserved most needle.

To be fair it was a two-way issue – and it had gone since minute one in Paris.

But when Luiz hooked Costa with the elbow, blind side of the ref, it looked like open warfare might follow.

In the second half, when Costa hacked down Thiago Silva from behind – Luiz again had to get involved.

Confronting the forward, he feigned receipt of a headbutt – the ref being a bit too cute this time, and showing the defender a yellow.

Luiz got the last laugh here. But this one has the feeling of a battle that may yet be continued.

Flying the flag: Chelsea fans at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea's Paris Metro shame did have a silver lining

Appalled as we all were about those incidents on Parisian public transport a few weeks back, there was something quite special to come out of it – and we saw it here tonight.

Chelsea is not, and never has been 'a racist club'. But it has undoubtedly been frequented by those with racist beliefs at times in the past – and to a lesser extent, still is.

Many in the past have been reluctant to call this sort of language and behaviour out – often through a fear of standing out as a lone voice.

At Stamford Bridge against PSG we learned fans as a whole had one collective voice – the badges of pretty much every fan group and publication adorning the programme cover calling for 'equality'.

Whatever the facts of what happened on the Paris Metro, and a court will yet have to decide on some of them, we know this – Chelsea fans will no longer turn a blind eye to prejudice.