Luiz haunts Chelsea in CL as Blanc’s boys advance on away goals

Jose Mourinho said he expected more from PSG (now 8/1 chances with Coral) and such mind games rather backfired on the Chelsea boss, as Laurent Blanc’s boys dumped the Blues out of the Champions League in extra time.

It is likely the Stamford Bridge side shall be the first of three Premier League casualties that fall at the first knockout hurdle in Europe’s elite club competitions, with Arsenal and Manchester City both trailing going into away legs next week.

Chelsea saw the away goals rule help them sneak past the no less expensively assembled Parisian roster in last season’s quarter-finals, but this European exit was a dose of their own medicine in more ways than one.

Pundits talked pre-match about how the Blues possess set-piece strength under Mourinho and PSG were weak defending such situations, so it was ironic none of the four goals scored in west London came from open play.

Referee Bjorn Kuipers will surely endure criticism for sending off the admittedly ineffectual Zlatan Ibrahomovic half an hour in, when he and Oscar both went for a 50-50 ball. It may not matter to Blanc, though, as his side won in spite of this officiating howler and those connected with PSG would be stunned to see the red card not rescinded by UEFA.

Did Chelsea players influence Kuipers by crowding round him in the immediate aftermath of this challenge? If they did, then the referee subsequently failed to oblige the Blues when Diego Costa was clearly brought down by Edinson Cavani in the area.

Uruguay international Cavani came close to giving PSG the lead in an ugly contest when he rounded Thibaut Courtois, but rattled the post with an open goal, but from a tight angle.

Gary Cahill capitalised on the visitors’ inability to clear a corner, with stopper Salvatore Sirigu spilling Ramires’ effort and a Diego Costa cross-shot fell kindly for the England centre back.