The case for Chelsea overturning their first-leg deficit to PSG

Guus Hiddink looks increasingly unlikely to complete the miracle turnaround of Chelsea’s league season, having drawn with Stoke City most recently to sit 10 points off fourth spot with 10 games to go.

The Dutchman’s main goal now then is to complete a European and domestic cup double, by landing the Champions League and FA Cup.

In the former, the task is particularly tough though, as the Blues await the visit of Paris Saint-Germain for the second leg of their round-of-16 tie having lost 2-1 in France.

That leaves the west Londoners 9/5 to qualify for the next round with Ladbrokes, but there are reasons to believe that price may just be ripe for the taking over the Parisians’ 2/5.

For a start the Blues nabbed a vital away goal in the first leg. John Obi Mikel’s rare strike means that Chelsea have a base from which to build and know that a mere 1-0 victory at home would send them through.

So long as the Chelsea rearguard can keep PSG’s attacking trinkets quiet, that away goal could be pivotal in the final outcome of the tie.

In addition, all of Laurent Blanc’s losses as boss of the French giants this season have come in away games.

Granted that’s only two defeats, but it still paints the picture that Zlatan Ibrahimovic and co are more vulnerable on the road than they are in their own stadium, where they are unbeaten and have won all bar three games this term.

Similarly, Chelsea have built their own string of home form up under Hiddink, having gone eight games without defeat during the interim coach’s second stint in charge.

Over half of those games have ended in a draw though, which wouldn’t be enough to send Chelsea through in this scenario, but nonetheless the Blues are proving difficult to beat under Hiddink.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.