Story so far: Paris Saint-Germain

So close to a semi-final berth last term, Paris Saint-Germain began their UEFA Champions League campaign with high hopes once again. A 3-2 home win against fellow Group F favourites FC Barcelona underlined their potential and they sealed qualification with two games to spare before losing top spot with a defeat in Catalonia.

Story so far
A nervy 1-1 draw at AFC Ajax on matchday one suggested Paris could be in for a tough campaign, especially as they lost Zlatan Ibrahimović to a heel injury soon afterwards. Deprived of their talismanic forward, the Ligue 1 champions nonetheless turned heads by beating Barcelona in an enthralling encounter at the Parc des Princes, goals from Edinson Cavani then sealing 1-0 victories away and at home to APOEL FC.

The second of those triumphs assured Laurent Blanc's men of a third consecutive appearance in the last 16, after which they set their minds to winning the group. Cavani struck twice as Ajax were dispatched 3-1 in the French capital to herald a matchday six showdown at the Camp Nou for first place in the section. Here, however, Paris missed out on the point they needed in a 3-1 reverse.

Pivotal moment
A mood of pessimism reigned among Paris fans as Barcelona came to town in late September, with the absence of Ibrahimović and patchy domestic form setting alarm bells ringing. Blanc, meanwhile, was under the microscope as never before, but his team transformed the mood at the Parc des Princes, with David Luiz opening the scoring after ten minutes. It was the first goal Barça had conceded all season, and although Lionel Messi quickly replied, Marco Verratti and Blaise Matuidi put the hosts back in control before Neymar reduced the Azulgrana's deficit.

Key player: Edinson Cavani
The Uruguay striker continues to divide opinion, but his goals proved vital as Paris secured their earliest qualification from a UEFA Champions League group in 20 years. Getting the ball rolling with an early opener at Ajax, he then took over from the injured Ibrahimović as the focal point of Paris's attack between matchdays two and four, the 27-year-old contributing a crucial pair of winning strikes against APOEL and adding two more at home to Ajax.

Rising star: Lucas
A season of frustrating performances last term culminated in Lucas missing out on Brazil's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, a heartbreaking blow that looks to have been a watershed moment. The 22-year-old's dynamism on the right flank has been one of Paris's most consistent weapons this campaign, and never more so than when he terrorised APOEL on matchday four.

Number: 32
The French hopefuls have turned the Parc des Princes into a fortress, their 3-1 success against Ajax extendinh their unbeaten run at home in European competition to 32 matches. They won all three fixtures at the Parc in Group F, with their last home defeat on the continental stage back in November 2006.

Quote
"We're very proud of what we did and it proves we have a great team. When we decide to fight for each other, we can beat anyone."
Blaise Matuidi after Paris's 3-2 victory against Barcelona

Next challenge: Chelsea FC
(Home: 17 February, away: 11 March)
Chelsea knocked Paris out of last season's UEFA Champions League despite a 3-1 loss at the Parc des Princes in the quarter-final first leg. José Mourinho's side won 2-0 in the Stamford Bridge return to progress on away goals. David Luiz – who scored an own goal in last season's Paris fixture – swapped Chelsea for Paris in the summer.