Champions League round of 16 first leg: Paris Saint-Germain vs Chelsea facts

Two recent UEFA Champions League winners meet at the Parc des Princes as Paris Saint-Germain take on Chelsea in the first leg of the round of 16.

Holders Paris came through an all-French knockout phase play-off for the second season in succession to reach this stage, beating Monaco 5-4 on aggregate (3-2 a, 2-2 h) having finished 11th in the league phase.

Chelsea were sixth in the league phase and are in the round of 16 for the 18th time – but the first in three seasons.

Last match

The teams have faced each other eight times, all in the Champions League, Paris recording three wins to Chelsea's two.

Most recently Paris won 2-1 both home and away in the 2015/16 round of 16 to make it two aggregate victories in the sides' three knockout ties. They also prevailed on away goals in the 2014/15 round of 16 (1-1 h, 2-2 a aet) but lost by the same route in the 2013/14 quarter-finals (3-1 h, 0-2 a).

This is Paris' fourth game against Premier League opposition this season. Having beaten Tottenham in the UEFA Super Cup in August (2-2, 4-3 pens), they were 5-3 victors at home to the same opponents on Matchday 5 before a 1-1 Matchday 8 draw against Newcastle at the Parc des Princes.

Paris have lost only one of their last eight matches against English opposition (W5 D2) and are unbeaten in five (W3 D2).

The Parisiens have won their last three two legged ties against English clubs, all in last season's Champions League, eliminating Liverpool (1-1 agg, 4-1 pens), Aston Villa (5-4) and Arsenal (3-1) in the round of 16, quarter finals and semi finals respectively.

Chelsea have won their last six matches against French opposition, most recently against Lille in the 2021/22 round of 16 (2-0 h, 2-1 a).

That made the Blues' aggregate record in two-legged ties involving Ligue 1 opponents W2 L3.

Paris

This is Paris' 18th campaign in the Champions League proper. They have featured every season since 2012/13, reaching the knockout stages in the last 14 campaigns.

Fifteenth in last season's league phase (W4 D1 L3), Luis Enrique's side beat Brest (10-0 aggregate), Liverpool, Aston Villa and Arsenal to reach the showpiece in Munich, where their 5-0 win against Inter was the biggest final victory in European Cup history.

Chelsea 

This is Chelsea's 20th Champions League campaign, and a first since 2022/23, when they progressed to the quarter-finals – they have reached the knockout rounds in their last eight campaigns.

Enzo Maresca's side won the UEFA Conference League in 2024/25, beating Real Betis 4-1 in the final.

Key stats

Paris are in the round of 16 for the 14th successive season. Last season's win against Liverpool made their record at this stage W8 L5.

Paris have won their last five knockout ties.

The Parisiens have lost only two of their last 14 European games (W8 D4).

Paris have also lost only two of their last 11 matches in the knockout phase (W8 D1).

This is Paris' 58th Champions League knockout match; none have finished goalless.

Chelsea's round of 16 record is W11 L6. They have won their last three ties, most recently against Dortmund in 2022/23 (0-1 a, 2-0 h).

The Londoners have won 13 of their last 16 two-legged European ties.

A 3-2 Matchday 8 win at Napoli was Chelsea's 17th in their last 21 European games (D1 L3).