Uefa Champions League draw: PSG Vs Chelsea

Much has changed since Chelsea knocked Paris Saint-Germain out of the Champions League last season.

Just looking at the identity of the scorers in the decisive 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge shows the difference between now and then -- neither Andre Schurrle nor Demba Ba are at the club , with Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa part of an exciting future that continues with another clash against PSG this week.

Their recent absence through injury and suspension respectively has shown just how vital they are to their team's fortunes, so their return in the Parc des Princes could not be more welcome. Another new face as far as the Parisiens are concerned is Nemanja Matic, who was ineligible to take part in last season's tie having already participated in the competition that season with Benfica. The ballast he supplies to this side has also been well-documented but will be no less important when he bestrides the middle of the pitch in the French capital.

As well as personnel, the Blues' style of play has also evolved with an intricate passing game becoming more prominent in order to get the best out of natural ball players such as Fabregas, Oscar, Willian and Eden Hazard. Although Jose Mourinho's team could hardly have been called direct last season, they certainly reverted to a more prosaic approach to finally defeat PSG, with an aerial attack eventually seeing off the French. While Mourinho is never shy of deploying any tactic, however crude, in order to win a game, it can be expected that a more sophisticated method will be used to try to make it through to the last eight.

One accusation that has been made against the Portuguese since his return to Chelsea is his habit of playing in a highly conservative manner in the tougher matches. With all the talent at his disposal it might seem an overly negative call, though it certainly makes sense away from home and especially in a two-legged tie when it is vital to remain in contention with the home match still to play.
 
 Chelsea's record against the so-called "big four" in England has been excellent in the past 18 months, with the only defeat coming in an FA Cup fifth-round tie at MaAnother fact that backs the manager up in this regard is that the results have almost all been incredibly positivenchester City.

Being eliminated from the Champions League last season by Diego Simeone's excellent Atletico Madrid side was no disgrace, though it should also be remembered that Chelsea held them to a goalless draw at the Vicente Calderon, keeping a certain Costa quiet in the process.

A similar defence-minded approach while attempting to launch precise counterattacks is likely to be used once again on Tuesday night, though there might be a temptation to go for broke, given PSG's current woes. The financial powerhouses of Ligue 1 are not having it all their own way this season and currently sit third in the table, albeit just two points off leaders Lyon.

They are currently in the middle of a mini injury crisis with four players who took part in their 2-2 draw at home to Caen at the weekend suffering knocks that threaten their participation. Of the quartet, the absence of two of them will be a particular loss to Laurent Blanc's side. Lucas Moura's pace and trickery is a huge asset to the team, while Marquinhos might be prevented from assuming his new role at right back if he fails to recover in time.

Fortunately for Blanc, he has a couple of able deputies to call upon. Ezequiel Lavezzi might have fallen foul of his manager's disciplinary stance after returning late from his Christmas break, though he has a pedigree of performing well against Chelsea, having scored against them for both Napoli and PSG.

Potentially replacing Marquinhos will be Netherlands international Gregory van der Wiel, who might have lost his place in the team but remains a high-quality alternative. There does, however, remain some doubt over whether key midfielders Blaise Matuidi and Thiago Motta would be available for selection, with the duo likely to require a late fitness test before they can be selected with confidence. Replacing them might be less straightforward, especially with reserve Yohan Cabaye already ruled out. Javier Pastore, scorer of PSG's magical third goal against Chelsea in the corresponding fixture last season, is also out.

One player that who definitely feature is former Blue David Luiz, who swapped clubs last summer for the still staggering fee of 50 million pounds. A Champions League-winning hero, the Brazilian was always popular among Chelsea supporters for his exuberance and natural flair, even if he often put hearts in mouths with his cavalier approach to defending.

Supporters will be hoping he reprises more of the latter when they meet, with the thought of Costa squaring up against him being one of the more fascinating aspects of the tie.

Irrespective of the constituent parts of each team's starting XI, the clash in Paris will just be a precursor to the main event at Stamford Bridge on March 11. The first leg is likely to be a tight affair with PSG keen to establish an advantage but without wanting to risk exposing their sometimes shaky defence to the likes of Hazard and Costa.

It will be intriguing and cagey as both teams size each other up before establishing exactly what they need to do when they meet again in London. Game on.