Chelsea Injury Update and Predicted Lineup vs PSG

Chelsea will host Paris Saint-Germain in the return leg of the Champions League’s last 16-tie at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday.

Chelsea star Willian has called the game as the most important of the Blues’ season. PSG hold a 2-1 advantage from the first leg of the tie and will be the favourites to progress to the next round.

This is the third consecutive year these two clubs are facing each other in the competition. Last year, the Ligue 1 club progressed to the next round on the away goal rule. The year before that, the West London club got the better of their opponents.

The West London club have lost only one game, 2-1 defeat to PSG in the first leg, since the arrival of Guus Hiddink at the club in December. Meanwhile, PSG have failed to win their last two league games. The defeat against Lyon on 29 February was their first defeat of the domestic season.

Team News:

Chelsea will be without experienced centre-back John Terry as he has failed to recover from his hamstring injury on time.

“I don’t think John will make Wednesday,” Hiddink said. “There has not been enough development to put him on the list. The injury is not worse. This morning, he did training and treatment. He can run, but cannot go into a longer stretch where you have to accelerate. He has to be careful.”

Centre-back Kurt Zouma will also miss the game with a long-term injury. Meanwhile Diego Costa will be involved after sitting out of the draw with Stoke City due to a minor injury.

“He had a little problem on the tendon, so that’s why I was bit cautious not to take the risk of worsening the situation. I think he will be OK on Wednesday,” Hiddink said.

Pedro is also expected to make his comeback from the hamstring injury he suffered in the 2-1 win over Southampton last month.

Hiddink has also called upon Belgian star Eden Hazard to show what he is truly capable of in the game.

Hazard, who has been struggling with his form this season, received severe criticism for his performance in the first leg of the tie.

Hiddink said: “At that time, when he was playing away in Paris, he was in that period just coming back from a rather severe injury which we could not ask him to be top fit, game fit.

“He had two or three actions that looked like Hazard. Now we are some weeks further into the league and game fitness and, of course, he can and must show tomorrow what he’s capable of.

“That’s more than, of course, in the away game. But the reason he was subbed was to avoid going into a danger zone after coming back from injury.”

Predicted Lineup:

Predicted starting XI: Courtois; Baba, Ivanovic, Cahill, Azpilicueta; Mikel, Fabregas; Hazard, Oscar, Willian; Costa