Never Say Never: Rosenior and João Pedro Urge Belief as Chelsea Vow to Fight Back Despite PSG Setback

Chelsea forward João Pedro and head coach Liam Rosenior have urged fans not to write off the team ahead of their decisive Champions League clash with Paris Saint-Germain.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference in Paris on Monday evening, both men acknowledged the difficulties of the past week but insisted that belief remains strong within the squad.

João Pedro reflected on the team’s resilience, pointing to their recent triumph at the Club World Cup.

‘I think this week was difficult for us. We know our strengths and we still believe because of what we showed in the Club World Cup when we won 3-0 against Paris. The group believe, the manager believes, the fans should believe as well,’ said Pedro.

Coach Rosenior echoed that sentiment but stressed the importance of cutting out mistakes.

‘If you look at the game in isolation and the scoreline, we were punished by very good players for our own mistakes. We have been undone in games by those moments in the past. We can’t make mistakes tomorrow. We have to remember Paris Saint-Germain are European champions for a reason, but we know we can compete.’

The statistics underline the scale of Chelsea’s challenge.

PSG and Chelsea have met nine times in UEFA competition, all in the Champions League, with PSG winning four, Chelsea two, and three matches ending in draws.

PSG have prevailed in two of the sides’ three knockout ties, including their last meeting in 2015/16 when they secured a 4-2 aggregate victory. Chelsea, however, boast a strong record in recent two-legged ties, winning 13 of their last 16, and have lost only once in 11 UEFA home matches against French opposition.

PSG arrive with formidable momentum, having won their last five Champions League two-legged ties and progressed from all four occasions when holding a three-goal advantage after the first leg.

Vitinha has been particularly dangerous, scoring five goals in his last three appearances against English clubs.

Chelsea’s preparations have been dealt a blow with Rosenior confirming that captain Reece James will miss the match due to a hamstring injury. Despite this setback, the London side remain determined to overturn the deficit and keep their Champions League hopes alive.