{"id":2860,"date":"2026-03-09T00:26:37","date_gmt":"2026-03-09T00:26:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/news678.top\/?p=2860"},"modified":"2026-03-09T00:26:37","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T00:26:37","slug":"liam-rosenior-backs-chelsea-star-to-have-massive-impact-against-psg-football","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=2860","title":{"rendered":"Liam Rosenior backs Chelsea star to have ‘massive’ impact against PSG | Football"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\n\t\t\"Chelsea\t<\/div>
Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Liam Rosenior has backed Chelsea striker Joao Pedro to have a \u2018massive\u2019 impact against PSG in the Champions League.<\/p>\n

Chelsea travel to Paris on Wednesday night to face Champions League holders PSG in the first leg of their last-16 tie.<\/p>\n

The Blues went three league games without a win last month, drawing with relegation-battlers Leeds United and Burnley before losing to title favourites Arsenal.<\/p>\n

Chelsea returned to winning ways with an emphatic 4-1 victory over top-four rivals Aston Villa before overcoming a scare in Saturday\u2019s FA Cup clash with Championship side Wrexham.<\/p>\n

PSG stormed to their first Champions League trophy last season, thrashing Inter Milan 5-0 in the final, but have been nowhere near as impressive this term.<\/p>\n

Luis Enrique\u2019s side edged past Ligue 1 rivals Monaco in the last round of the Champions League and have lost two of their last four league games.<\/p>\n

PSG are still favourites to progress at the expense of Chelsea but Rosenior will be hoping to cause an upset with the help of \u2018on fire\u2019 Pedro.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"Wrexham\t<\/div>
Chelsea striker Joao Pedro is \u2018on fire\u2019 (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Pedro has impressed ever since his \u00a360m move from Brighton last summer but has been particularly impressive over the past two months, scoring 11 goals in his last 12 games.<\/p>\n

The Brazil international scored his first Chelsea hat-trick in the emphatic win at Villa Park before also getting on the scoresheet in Saturday\u2019s FA Cup win over Wrexham.<\/p>\n

Rosenior says he was hoping to give Pedro the night off but introduced him as a late substitute as Wrexham surprisingly took Chelsea to extra-time.<\/p>\n

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\u2018Joao is on fire, he\u2019s on fire,\u2019 Rosenior told talkSPORT after Chelsea booked their place in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.<\/p>\n

\u2018I think everybody knew when he picked up the ball and he was driving at their defence that something good was about to happen.<\/p>\n

\u2018He\u2019s in that place\u2026 I wanted to manage his minutes because he\u2019s going to be massive for us\u00a0in Paris on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

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\u2018But he did a really good job at helping us through this round.\u2019<\/p>\n

Rosenior also heaped praise on Pedro in his pre-match press conference and branded the Chelsea summer signing as \u2018world-class\u2019.<\/p>\n

\u2018I think Joao\u2019s in that category now,\u2019 Rosenior said. \u2018Consistently, during the two months that I\u2019ve been here, he\u2019s shown that level.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"Paris\t<\/div>
Luis Enrique\u2019s PSG face Chelsea in the Champions League (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018He\u2019s a world-class striker. I wouldn\u2019t swap Joao for anyone in this moment to be honest, because he\u2019s showing all of the things and all the attributes I want to see in my No. 9.\u2019<\/p>\n

PSG\u2019s recent struggles have not gone unnoticed and their former player, Eric Rabesandratana, expects Chelsea to \u2018make life hard\u2019 for the Champions League holders.<\/p>\n

\u2018What PSG lack is a defensive state of mind,\u2019 he told Capital Football. \u2018They are struggling physically and if they are not at their best from that viewpoint it has a domino effect on all the rest.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"Paris\t<\/div>
PSG are the Champions League holders (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018It dents their attacking play, their rhythm and in defensive transition it becomes tough as a result.<\/p>\n

\u2018On top of that, their defensive behaviour is concerning when it comes to regaining their positions, catching up with the opposition, aggressiveness\u2026 this PSG team is lacking many things.<\/p>\n

\u2018Chelsea have all the qualities to make life hard for Paris Saint-Germain. There\u2019s no doubt that it will be a tough game.<\/p>\n

\u2018PSG are in survival mode right now. Matches are coming thick and fast given that PSG are not a machine it explains why the going has been so tough.<\/p>\n

\u2018It\u2019s not easy to cope with it but there\u2019s a lot at stake against Chelsea, a team that outclassed PSG at the Club World Cup. The team has to rise to the occasion but it will be very tough.\u2019<\/p>\n

As Rabesandratana noted, this Champions League last-16 tie is a repeat of last summer\u2019s Club World Cup final, which Chelsea won 3-0.<\/p>\n

Chelsea or PSG will face either Premier League champions Liverpool or Turkish leaders Galatasaray in the Champions League quarter-finals. <\/p>\n

For more stories like this,\u00a0check our sport page<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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