Paris St-Germain 1-1

Independent:
Edinson Cavani cancels out Branislav Ivanovic opener to leave Champions League tie delicately poised
PSG 1 Chelsea 1

By SAM WALLACE

This was the way Jose Mourinho likes his team to play away in Europe: unyielding, disciplined and gradually introducing in opposition minds a looming sense of despair about their prospects in the London when the final business of this tie will be conducted.
Never a classic European game by any means – these Champions League tie first legs so rarely are – but it would have been the perfect performance for Mourinho’s team had a brief miscalculation not allowed Edinson Cavani in for the equaliser ten minutes into the second half. They needed to Thibaut Courtois to intervene more than once, but there they left Paris in control of this tie.
In this great clash of two of European football’s fossil fuel fortunes, Chelsea still look very much the grown-ups of the piece when it comes to Champions League football. Their performance ebbed a little in the second half and yet for the few chances PSG created Mourinho’s team, and their fine goalkeeper, back in the side, looked in control.
After Branislav Ivanovic had given them the lead in the first half it was not implausible to think they might have gone on to win this match but a scoring draw was no hardship. In the quarter-finals last year they lost 3-1 at the Parc des Princes and then scored two goals without reply at home, and with a much better result against PSG this time, they are the favourites to go through.
By the time they meet again, Mourinho will hope to have the first trophy of his second coming at Stamford Bridge, the League Cup, the final of which divides these two legs, absurdly three weeks apart. Zlatan Ibrahimovic and his team-mates will have to conjure the performance of PSG’s recent Qatari oil-fired history to eliminate Chelsea. Mourinho has never lost a two-leg Champions League tie in which his team secured an away score draw in the first leg
There is a precision to Chelsea’s tactical formation in away games in the Champions League that even the best teams can find themselves confronted by a thousand dead-ends. They were at their obstinate best before half-time tonight even on the occasions when Ibrahimovic pinned Gary Cahill behind him and tried to get PSG’s attacks going.
The Swedish striker is a very hard man to control all of the time, even for a defence as accomplished as Chelsea’s with Cahill back in the side in place of Kurt Zouma. But what they did manage was to limit the damage he could do and when there was no other alternative, Courtois came to the rescue.
The Belgian was back in the team after Petr Cech’s return against Everton and three times in the first half he made important saves. On 11 minutes, Blaise Matuidi and then Ibrahimovic had headers in quick succession which Courtois left himself as much time as possible to read and succeeded in pushing both away.
That was one of PSG’s best spells in the first half, when they managed to get some traction down the wing and did not find themselves wondering lost into that triangle of pain between Nemanja Matic, John Terry and Cahill.  They had found it hard going otherwise and their only other good chance at goal was Cavani’s near post header from Ezequiel Lavezzi’s corner that Courtois thrust a fist at and saved.
Otherwise you always felt that Chelsea were shaping the first half according to their own expectations. Ramires and Matic took care of whatever PSG tried to work through the middle. Eden Hazard found himself fouled, as per usual, most times he had the ball at his feet. It was more frustrating for Diego Costa, but then he knew what he was signing up for as the lone forward in a Mourinho team.
The goal came from yet another free-kick won by Hazard, for which the likes of Terry and Cahill pushed up to contest. The ball came back to Matic and it was his low ball out to the left that found Terry. There was nothing much in the cross that was waist-high and unpromising until Cahill flicked out a heel and changed pace, direction and trajectory. The PSG defence failed to react and Ivanovic nodded the ball past a stranded Salvatore Sirigu. 
This was the classic Chelsea European sucker punch, one that they have made a habit of landing on an opponent’s jaw more than once. They committed their defenders to set-pieces and while on this occasion a goal did not result directly, it was the reason that all three of the central protagonists found themselves in the PSG third together.
It was a dismal outcome for PSG whose efforts had dwindled before the break. They came out for the second half with a lot more impetus and equalised within ten minutes, with only Cavani’s fourth goal since the start of December. The attack had been begun by David Luiz, occupying a deep-lying midfield position against his former club and from him had gone to Matuidi who had crossed for Cavani to head in.
The cross from Matuidi had dropped just over the head of the unfortunate Cahill which opened up the angle for Cavani to direct it low and into the corner past Courtois. Chelsea’s defenders are fastidious about the positions they take up in the area – always zonal, never man-for-man – and occasionally there is a cross that is liable to drop beyond both their spheres of influence.
As for Luiz, he had played a familiar game for PSG – strident passing but not much moving off the ball to open up the space for the return. The goal aside, there was a lack of briskness about his and PSG’s passing that permitted Mourinho’s well-drilled men to re-organise and re-form behind the ball.
Luiz got a shove from Cesc Fabregas, back in the team, after one challenge, and then another from Costa later on. He is a good player, but not a great midfielder and you can see why Mourinho would prefer a player with a greater economy of touches in that position.
In the last ten minutes, there was a growing panic among PSG that they would be taking less to London in three weeks’ time than they did one year ago. Cavani opened up some space in the right channel and his shot beat Courtois but was outside the far post. Ibrahimovic had a late header which, Courtois did well to get down to and push over the bar.
The final whistle was greeted with grim resignation by the home crowd. PSG had thrown their best at Courtois and Chelsea in the closing stages, and you wonder how much more they can offer in London.

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Guardian:

Chelsea hold advantage despite PSG recovery from Branislav Ivanovic goal
PSG 1 - 1 Chelsea
Daniel Taylor at Parc des Princes

For Chelsea there was a measure of satisfaction but maybe a hint of exasperation too. They had struck first, courtesy of another addition to Branislav Ivanovic’s portfolio of important goals, but what they could not do was further enhance their reputation as possibly the best team anywhere when it comes to absorbing pressure and holding on to a lead.
José Mourinho will certainly be aggrieved by the uncharacteristic lapses that let in Edinson Cavani to equalise nine minutes into a second half in which Chelsea barely made any pretence about wanting to commit too many players forward. They invited some prolonged pressure during those moments and, re-energised, Cavani created enough problems in the last half an hour to remind Chelsea that at this level the advantage of taking an away goal into the return leg is only a slight one.
Ultimately, though, it was still a reasonable night’s work from Mourinho’s team, particularly when the manager later revealed that five of his players had barely trained since their last match against Everton.
Chelsea’s spells of conservatism might not appeal to everyone. They might not be the most exciting team in the world, or the most daring, but they are hugely effective and, though his team just about always operated with restraint, it is not as if Mourinho is against the odd moment of adventure. Ivanovic’s goal was created by a combination of John Terry and Gary Cahill, and how many other occasions will there be in the Champions League’s knockout stages when one centre-half crosses, another flicks the ball on and the right-back is there to apply the finishing touch? It was just a pity, perhaps, that Chelsea rarely showed any real ambition to go for a second goal.
For long spells their strategically slow tempo successfully took the sting out of the occasion, making sure their opponents could not build too much momentum, but it was a spirited response from Laurent Blanc’s side in the second half and Chelsea needed Thibaut Courtois to justify why he had been restored to the team.
Mourinho’s team selection represented a huge show of faith in the Belgian bearing in mind Petr Cech’s performance against Everton and Courtois certainly warranted his place. His outstanding moment was probably the near-post save to turn away Cavani’s header a couple of minutes before Ivanovic’s goal.
There were other times, when he kept out Zlatan Ibrahimovic and again, in stoppage time, when the Swede had a header to win the game but could not get enough power in his neck muscles to beat the goalkeeper.
Chelsea’s tactics once they had taken the lead meant Diego Costa was often an isolated figure in their attack. Cesc Fàbregas dropped further back into midfield, joining Nemanja Matic and Ramires in protecting the Chelsea back four.
Willian and Eden Hazard tucked inside to cut out even more space and the disappointment for Mourinho was the nature of Cavani’s goal just as it had started to look as if Blanc’s side were low on ideas.
The most obvious positional error was Cahill’s, getting under the cross from Blaise Matuidi and allowing a forward of Cavani’s gifts too much space. Yet Mourinho should not apportion all the blame to one man. The delivery had come from Chelsea’s right, with Ivanovic having deserted his position and Willian left with two men to pick up. It was unusual to see Chelsea being prone to this kind of carelessness and Cavani is not the kind of opponent to be generous, flashing his header past Courtois.
It was his sixth goal in seven Champions League ties, extending PSG’s run of having scored in home matches to 19 in this competition.
Ivanovic’s goal was a typically precise header, reminding one again that he has the qualities of an old-fashioned centre-forward in the opposition’s penalty area. He never again ventured so far forward after that. Chelsea were happy instead to defend for the rest of the match and they rarely strayed from that tactic even after Cavani’s equaliser changed the complexion of the evening.
The volume went up several notches and a few minutes later it needed a fortunate block from César Azpilicueta to keep out Ezequiel Lavezzi’s goal-bound shot. Courtois had saved Ibrahimovic’s initial effort and, for the first time, there was the sense that Chelsea might be rattled.
Cavani continued to be a menace, wriggling free at one point before stabbing a shot just past the post. Marco Verratti’s indefatigable running was a prominent feature and David Luiz, also operating in midfield, looked eager to do well against his former club.
Blanc said it was a better performance than when his team won 3-1 in the match here last season and, even if he was being slightly economical with the truth, they could probably be forgiven for thinking Chelsea might still be vulnerable when the teams renew acquaintance at Stamford Bridge on 11 March.
“I must say, Chelsea didn’t show much,” Blanc said. Yet the advantage is still with Chelsea. “Minimal”was the word Mourinho applied.

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Telegraph:

Edinson Cavani cancelled out Branislav Ivanovic's first-half header as Thibaut Courtois saves day for visitors
Henry Winter

On a good night for London in Paris, this was a case of backs for the goal, then backs to the wall for Chelsea. John Terry and Gary Cahill set up Branislav Ivanovic for a vital away goal. Chelsea’s backs then played resiliently, resisting Paris Saint-Germain’s second-half pressure barring an equalising header from Edinson Cavani.
Chelsea were, though, deeply grateful to the outstanding Thibaut Courtois for a string of saves, including a late one from a Zlatan Ibrahimovic header that ensured they remain favourites going in to the second leg at Stamford Bridge on March 11.
From Barcelona to Munich, Chelsea have been in these demanding defensive situations so many times that they seem to possess a default defiance setting. The personnel occasionally changes, Courtois replacing Petr Cech, but they avoid risks, concentrate hard, clear their lines, stand tall, time their tackles, cover each other’s backs and repel attacks.
Individuals take responsibility. Nobody hides. Their work ethic and team ethos shine through.
This was a reminder that Chelsea can secure results without their creative fireflies really sparking. Cesc Fabregas was still struggling to shake off his cold. Eden Hazard was struggling to shake off Gregory van der Wiel and Marco Verratti. Diego Costa was struggling to pick up the pace of the game on returning from his enforced exile. Willian had one of his quieter games.
Yet PSG deserve considerable praise. Thiago Silva and Marquinhos pushed Costa deep or wide. Blaise Matuidi was the best outfield player on view, creating Cavani’s goal, getting down the left, moving inside and duelling with Nemanja Matic, and thwarted by Courtois in the first half. There was no shortage of midfield talent looking on from the chic seats, including David Beckham, Dunga and Michel Platini, watching PSG’s improved second-half display with Matuidi at its heart.
Nobody expected it to be a stroll by the Seine for Chelsea. They lost here last year. It was even a difficult evening for their supporters with many still outside five minutes after the game kicked off, with one fans’ leader calling “French police organisation a shambles”.
When the visiting fans managed to get into their corner of Parc des Princes, they witnessed their team’s character. With their attacking forces blunted, Chelsea simply relied on others, on Ivanovic for the goal, on Courtois to keep the score level. Their spirit was shown by the fact that Hazard, Willian, Ivanovic, Fabregas and the substitute Oscar had not trained since the Everton game last Wednesday for reasons from knocks to colds. They all reported for duty, all determined to play their part in steering Chelsea closer to the final. PSG had seven corners to Chelsea’s one, six efforts on target to Chelsea’s one, but that one away goal meant so much.
It was hardly a physical game, yet the stats also showed that Hazard was fouled nine times, compared to 10 for all the other Chelsea players combined. It was a sign of PSG’s concern over the former two-time Ligue 1 player of the year. Jose Mourinho made the legitimate point afterwards that this was also a debate that should be held more frequently in English football, namely the protecting of talent. Mourinho emphasised that Hazard is not the type to milk challenges, rolling around to alert the referee, exaggerating the impact to ensure the perpetrator receives a sanction. The Belgian was “pure”, argued Mourinho, and suffered for his honesty.
Mourinho was low key on the rhetoric front afterwards, yet he will know the importance of Ivanovic’s intervention nine minutes from the break. On three occasions in three separate competitions in his last five games, Ivanovic has now contributed significant goals.
The Serb headed the winner in the Capital One Cup semi-final second leg against Liverpool on Jan 27 to send Chelsea to Wembley, cutting his foot in the process so badly that Mourinho said his blood-filled boot should be placed in the club museum to show young players the sacrifices made by the best.
On Feb 7, Ivanovic’s goal secured a 2-1 defeat of Aston Villa, strengthening Chelsea’s position at the top of the Premier League. Ivanovic struck another important blow, his 30th goal for the club since arriving from Lokomotiv Moscow for £9 million in January 2008.
The sight of three defenders involved in the goal, Terry and Cahill teeing up Ivanovic, was a riposte to those who suggested Chelsea might park the bus. Chelsea’s coach had suffered a scrape arriving at the ground, becoming briefly wedged in the tunnel, leading to jokes among onlookers about Mourinho parking the bus yet the Chelsea manager stepped from the briefly marooned bus in search of an away goal.
For a while, it was extended sparring, plenty of probing combinations but no real punches landed. PSG went closest first. Zlatan Ibrahimovic played the ball left to Cavani, whose cross was headed by Matuidi but Courtois punched the danger clear. Moments later, Matuidi was out on the left, delivering a ball destined for Ibrahimovic. The Swede has laboured against English defences in the past, barring that bout of pyrotechnics against England in Stockholm in 2012 and the odd game against Arsenal. He managed to outmuscle Terry to reach Matuidi’s cross, heading down but again Courtois was alert. Chelsea’s keeper then saved at the near-post from Cavani.
Then came that sweet moment of devastating attacking by Chelsea’s defenders. Terry clipped the ball across from the left and Cahill turned potential into potency with the deftest of flicks. Ivanovic, easily losing David Luiz, met the ball with a well-directed header steered past Salvatore Sirigu.
Yet there is such talent in this team of Laurent Blanc’s that they equalised nine minutes into the second half. Matuidi’s cross from the left was perfect, totally catching out Cahill, the ball carrying over the England international and being headed by Cavani past Courtois. Cahill has been embarrassed by the Uruguayan before, not least at the World Cup when the centre-half failed to close down Cavani who crossed for Luis Suárez’s first. Yet Cahill responded well here.
After 66 minutes, Ivanovic was cautioned for a tackle more in keeping with the stadium’s rugby union connections. The Chelsea right-back was so determined to stop Cavani escaping that he pulled his leg back.
Ezequiel Lavezzi’s free-kick was headed strongly goalwards by David Luiz but Courtois again excelled, pushing the header over.
The momentum was with the Parisians. Chelsea were being pinned deep and Mourinho needed an outlet, a new challenge to test PSG. Juan Cuadrado came on for Willian, and then Loic Remy replaced the rusty Costa.
In between, Cavani almost gave PSG the lead. Taking a pass from Matuidi, the Uruguayan glided in from the left, wrongfooting Matic and placing a shot just wide of Courtois’ left-hand upright. Mourinho twisted again, playing his last card, sending on Oscar for the tiring Fabregas.
Chelsea were protecting their goal well, Cahill beating Ibrahimovic to the ball and then clearing as Matuidi charged through.
Courtois made his final superb save, pushing away Ibrahimovic’s header, making it advantage Chelsea.

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Mail:

PSG 1-1 Chelsea: Branislav Ivanovic scores crucial away goal to give Jose Mourinho's side slender advantage going into second leg despite Edinson Cavani equaliser
By Martin Samuel

Jose Mourinho learned a lot in Paris. Not on Tuesday night, necessarily, but a year ago. It was in this fixture in the previous campaign that this Chelsea team began to take shape.
David Luiz made a mistake that got Paris Saint-Germain back into the game; Petr Cech was unconvincing in goal. Mourinho corrected both of those perceived flaws in the summer and on Tuesday night those changes paid off.
Thibaut Courtois, who has taken Cech’s place as first choice goalkeeper, was quite outstanding and kept Chelsea in the match. Luiz, sold to PSG for £50million, appeared to lose Branislav Ivanovic for Chelsea’s goal. His extraordinary fee made the signings of Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas possible and one imagines they will have greater influence on the outcome when these teams reconvene on March 11.
Costa and Fabregas were both recovering from spells out of the team and were below par. In three weeks’ time it may be a different story.
It will need to be because while this was a job well done, nobody should think a draw and an away goal amount to a guarantee for Chelsea against the champions of France. It needed Courtois to be at his very best, and Chelsea to weather a second-half onslaught in which PSG found a fresh level of menace, before the sides could shake hands, honours even.
By then, Chelsea were more than acquainted with the danger posed in that second leg. Edinson Cavani’s 54th-minute equaliser was not the half of it.
PSG ran out 3-1 winners here last year and could have done so again had Courtois, and others, not been at the top of their game. This PSG side cannot be underestimated, no matter what the history books say about the record of French teams in England.
Having lost heavily a year ago, a 1-1 draw is to be respected. Yet an away goal at Stamford Bridge will make for a very tense night, and Laurent Blanc’s team are more than capable of it.
Cavani was a constant threat and while Zlatan Ibrahimovic has never scored against a Mourinho defence, he caused enough problems to suggest the continuation of that run cannot be presumed.
He should have won the tie deep in added time when a cross by Blaise Matuidi found him at the far post. His header was directed into the dirt and reared up to force the final intervention from Courtois, tipping it around for a corner. There were other saves, equally spectacular.
He had earlier kept PSG at bay with an outstanding low stop after Ibrahimovic had broken free of his guards. The ball came out to Ezequiel Lavezzi but this time Cesar Azpilicueta came to the rescue, making excellent ground to clear his line. PSG were certainly a different proposition after half-time.
It had not been the most thrilling opening 45 minutes, in all truthfulness. In the 11th minute, a cross from Cavani was headed powerfully goalwards by Matuidi, but parried with both hands by Courtois. From the next attacking phase, Matuidi crossed to Ibrahimovic, whose header was again kept out by the Belgian. Chelsea then regrouped and it was not until the 33rd minute that Paris came close again.
On this occasion it was a desperately poor touch by Ramires that conceded possession and set up a PSG counter-attack. Azpilicueta took no chances offering up the corner and, from it, Lavezzi’s delivery was met by Cavani at the near post, Courtois’ stunning reflexes equal to the challenge again.
The Parc des Princes bristled with anticipation yet it is in Chelsea’s nature to prick balloons and four minutes later PSG were behind.
It was a goal remarkable for doing entirely without forwards, wide men or even hard-running midfielders. A set-piece had broken down but not left the danger zone and John Terry sprinted out to the left to recover the loose ball. He whipped in an early cross, flicked on by his central defensive partner Cahill and falling to right back Branislav Ivanovic, who lost Luiz.
As is his style in important games, Ivanovic seized the moment and directed a deft header past goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu. It was very clinical, very Chelsea. They had to defend much the same way, as Paris upped the tempo after half-time.
Mourinho will be upset at the goal, though, which came after a Matuidi cross was poorly read by Cahill, pulled out of position, allowing Cavani a free header from his favourite place on the edge of the six-yard box. It was the one occasion on the night when Courtois was rendered powerless.
For Luiz, playing his first game against his former club, the match was a mixed bag. Deployed in midfield in place of the injured Thiago Motta, he had a dust-up with Costa, took one from Fabregas, gave plenty back, will be disappointed with the goal, but pleased with his growing influence on PSG’s build-up play after half-time.
For a defender, he has an excellent range of passing, but not always the best sense of danger. One imagines Mourinho will still feel he got the best of that £50m transaction.
This may go down as the earliest parking of a bus in the history of European football, close to two hours prior to kick-off when Chelsea’s vehicle managed to get stuck in the Parc des Prince tunnel and was abandoned.
Mourinho stomped off, face like thunder, and sent out a team in that image. This was a growl of a performance at times, brooding, occasionally irritable, but resolute.
Not that PSG were wholly different. They recognised Eden Hazard as the danger and swarmed around him, committing fouls. Costa copped it, too. The striker, as is his instinct, met fire with fire, leaving a foot in here and there and bristling with physical defiance as PSG sought to close him down.
Fabregas was hit hard and took his frustration out on Luiz. He had got away with a verbal warning and then Costa intervened, pulling Luiz’s hair on the sly and needlessly upping the ante just at the moment Chelsea should have been beating a respectful retreat. The professionals all love that spiky attitude but in this of all competitions, Costa’s grumbles and rumbles could return to haunt his club. If referee Cuneyt Cakir from Turkey had seen it, there could have been damaging repercussions.
Still, all’s well that ends well.

PSG (4-3-3): Sirigu 6.5; Van der Wiel 6, Marquinhos 5.5, Thiago Silva 6, Maxwell 6; Verratti 6.5; David Luiz 6.5; Matuidi 6.5; Lavezzi 6.5 (Pastore 81), Ibrahimovic 6.5; Cavani 7
Subs not used: Douchez, Camara, Bahebeck, Digne, Rabiot, Kimpembe
Goal: Cavani 54
Booked: Van der Wiel, Verratti

CHELSEA (4-2-3-1): Courtois 7.5; Ivanovic 6, Cahill 5.5, Terry 7, Azpilicueta 6.5; Ramires 6.5, Matic 7; Willian 6 (Cuadrado 79), Fabregas 7 (Oscar 83), Hazard 6; Diego Costa 6 (Remy 81)
Subs not used: Cech, Filipe Luis, Zouma, Drogba
Goal: Ivanovic 36
Booked: Ivanovic, Fabregas
Referee: Cuneyt Cakir 6 

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Mirror:

PSG 1-1 Chelsea: Ivanovic's away goal hands Mourinho's men the initiative despite Cavani equaliser
John Cross

The Chelsea defender headed his side into the lead before a second-half revival from PSG saw the first-leg end all square
Jose Mourinho went over to the fans at the final whistle to celebrate a huge result on the way to immortality, reports John Cross in Paris.
The Special One immediately sensed the importance of a priceless away goal and a major step towards the Champions League quarter-finals.
It was a tough night in the Parc des Princes and had it not been for the heroics of keeper Thibaut Courtois then Chelsea would have suffered a similar fate as last year.
But now Mourinho returns to London for the second leg next month with Chelsea red-hot favourites to progress thanks to Branislav Ivanovic’s first half opener.
And despite Edinson Cavani’s leveller, Chelsea weathered a second half storm with a determination and resolve instilled by a manager in search of history.
Mourinho clearly has the bit between his teeth as he wants to become the first manager to win the Champions League with three different clubs.
Having conquered Europe with Porto and Inter Milan, he knows trophies are won on the back of nights like these.
They had to defend for their lives, survive some major scares and even call on a major slice of Lady Luck at times.
But to emerge from Paris with a good result is no mean feat bearing in mind that PSG have now not lost in 33 European home games.
And despite that incredible run, PSG are outsiders now in a tie which shows exactly why they tried to recruit Mourinho before Chelsea and their current manager Laurent Blanc. They had chances, but failed to take them.
Even when Chelsea don’t play at their best, they find a way. This time, just like last year, they went ahead. The difference a year on is that they held out rather than losing 3-1 as they did last season, albeit they overturned the defeat in the second leg.
If they hold their nerve at Stamford Bridge, then they will remain on course for European glory and you just get the feeling that Mourinho is in the mood with Chelsea entering the business end of the season well placed both at home and abroad.
They didn’t start well - and didn’t park the bus well at all. In fact, the coach driver crashed the Chelsea team bus going round a corner on the way into the stadium.
And the defence looked equally shaky as Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Blaise Matuidi and Cavani all forced good saves from Courtois before Chelsea even got going.
But when Chelsea found a way through, it came via the most unlikely source. A back trio, in fact. The three big guys had stayed up for a set piece, didn’t retreat and ended up conjuring a wonderful goal for Ivanovic.
John Terry put over a corner from the left, Gary Cahill provided a deft flick on and Ivanovic rose to head home into the top corner. A week ago a villain after the bust-up with Everton’s James McCarthy, now a hero for the travelling Chelsea fans.
It was rough on PSG who had been the better team. But back came the French giants and Mourinho’s disappointment will be that they cracked under pressure just 11 minutes after the restart.
PLAYER RATINGS: Who was your man of the match in Paris?
Matuidi’s cross from the left exposed a worrying trend in Chelsea’s defence as Cahill - for so long reliable and dependable - once again made a mistake as he lost Cavani and the Uruguayan’s powerful near post header flew to the far corner past Courtois.
It left Chelsea with a mountain to climb and a long time to survive with PSG picking up a powerful momentum. Courtois denied Ibrahimovic at point blank range and Matuidi’s follow-up shot was blocked by Cesar Azpilicueta.
Edinson Cavani celebrates after scoring the first goal for PSG
Cavani, easily PSG’s best forward, was always a threat and weaved his way through the Chelsea defence like a slalom skier only to poke the ball wide as Chelsea sustained a heavy spell of late pressure.
But Chelsea’s final let off came in injury time when Ibrahimovic’s close range header was brilliantly blocked by Courtois. It was the sort of moment that makes you think this could be Mourinho’s destiny.

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Express:

PSG 1 - Chelsea 1: Thibaut Courtois to the rescue as Blues hold on for draw in Paris
Tony Banks

Chelsea pranged their bus as they arrived here but Jose Mourinho’s team were far more assured as they placed one foot in the quarter-finals.
In a white-hot atmosphere in Paris, Branislav Ivanovic gave Chelsea a priceless lead with the away goal they wanted, before Edinson Cavani levelled.
But Chelsea rallied and held out for the draw and are now favourites to make the last eight.
Mourinho was the man who once accused Tottenham of “parking the bus” when they held Chelsea to a goalless draw. His club have also been guilty of such tactics – but they certainly were not last night, as the Chelsea coach bashed into a wall and cracked a window pulling into the stadium.
But at least Diego Costa was back after his three-game ban and Cesc Fabregas had recovered from his bout of flu to take his place in midfield.
A year ago Chelsea had edged past Laurent Blanc’s team in the quarter-finals with a goal three minutes from time to give them a win on away goals. But they have improved since then.
Before the game, Mourinho had cheekily reminded everyone that he had twice turned down the manager’s job at the French club. But PSG, who have had a rocky season with coach Blanc under pressure lying only third in Ligue 1, had a point to prove.
When Cavani crossed from the left, Blaise Matuidi’s header was excellently pushed away by the recalled Thibaut Courtois, and then the Chelsea goalkeeper also stopped Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s weak nod down, as the hosts started strongly.
David Luiz, playing in midfield due to PSG’s injury problems, was orchestrating play – as Costa made his presence felt early by flattening Thiago Silva.
Ibrahimovic’s sheer strength and power were a problem for Chelsea but it was cagey, tense stuff, with PSG pulling everybody back every time Chelsea had the ball.
Eden Hazard finally got away out of the blue but Paris goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu grabbed his cross as Costa lurked. PSG though broke quickly and ominously whenever a Chelsea move failed, and that was the danger for Mourinho’s team.
From one such break, Ezequiel Lavezzi swung in a corner, and Cavani glanced in a header, but Courtois tipped the ball round the post.
And then, against the run of play, Chelsea went ahead. PSG did not clear a free kick, John Terry crossed from the left, Gary Cahill flicked the ball on and there, as ever, was Ivanovic to evade his marker Luiz – and nod past a stationary Sirigu.
It was, incredibly, the defender’s 30th goal for Chelsea – his seventh in the Champions League since 2009, more than any other defender. And the Serb has a habit of getting crucial ones.
Suddenly the atmosphere had changed – there was anxiety in the air. Blanc’s team were finding Chelsea hard to break down, with Ramires and Nemanja Matic chasing relentlessly in midfield whenever a gap appeared.
But PSG have quality – expensive quality – in all areas. They cannot be kept down for long. Once again Matuidi crossed accurately from the left and this time Cavani lost Cahill to head in.
Now there was real danger, as PSG poured forward with spirits revived.
It took a brilliant interception by Terry to stop Ibrahimovic. Then, when the Swede broke through again, Courtois stopped his shot with a foot, and Cesar Azpilicueta was in the right place to block Lavezzi’s shot from the follow up. Costa shoved Luiz as tempers frayed.
Suddenly, for the first time in the evening, Chelsea looked vulnerable and the French side poured forward.
Ibrahimovic bustled and threatened, Matuidi drifted into dangerous areas, Cavani jinked and swerved around the edge of the area. Chelsea were holding on – but then they have always been good at that in Europe.
Matic was everywhere, hustling, tackling, getting a crucial foot in when it mattered, and most of the time it did matter. Then Cavani dribbled through once more but drilled his shot wide of the far post while Ibrahimovic had a late header tipped over the bar by Courtois as Chelsea secured the draw.

PSG (4-3-3): Sirigu; Van der Wiel, Thiago Silva, Marquinhos, Maxwell; Verratti, Luiz, Matuidi; Lavezzi (Pastore 81), Ibrahimovic, Cavani. Booked: Van der Wiel, Veratti. Goal: Cavani 54
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Courtois; Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta; Ramires, Matic; Willian (Cuadrado 79), Fabregas (Oscar 83), Hazard; Diego Costa (Remy 81). Booked: Ivanovic, Fabregas. Goal: Ivanovic 36.
Referee: C Cakir (Turkey).

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Star:

PSG 1 Chelsea 1: Ivanovic away goal gives Blues advantage in tight Champions League tie

George Scott

Jose Mourinho and his players had to trudge into the Parc des Princes after their driver failed to negotiate his way into the underground car-park.
Chelsea also had their moments on the pitch, but steering the way into the quarter-finals of the Champions League will be a whole lot easier thanks to Branislav Ivanovic's vital away goal.
Chelsea were back at full strength with Diego Costa restored to the attack after his three-match stamping ban and Cesc Fabregas back in midfield following a bout of flu.
And the visitors were certainly comfortable enough in opening exchanges, PSG conjuring little to suggest swift revenge for their away goals exit at the hands of Chelsea at the quarter-final stage last season
Blaise Matuidi did force an excellent save from Thibaut Courtois, back in net in place of Petr Cech, on 11 minutes with a powerful header from Edison Cavani's cross.
And moments later Zlatan Ibrahimovic had his first sight of goal, his weak header lacking the power to trouble the Chelsea keeper.
Ibrahimovic chose to come deeper to try and influence matters more while Costa was content to drop back, the powerhouse striker making his presence felt with a crunching challenge on PSG skipper Thiago Silva.
The French Champions continued most of the ball in this cagey affair, David Luiz moved into midfield against his former side help deny Chelsea's playmakers space and time.
This was turning out to be classic Mourinho tactics on the road in the knockout stages.
But as half-time approach, so Chelsea began to edge further forward. Eden Hazard, coveted by the moneybags French side, burst forward and his driven cross was well gathered by goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu with Costa lurking.
But Chelsea's adventure almost caught them out as PSG force a corner after a swift break. Ezequiel Lavezzi's inswinger was met by the head of Manchester Unite target Edison Cavani at the near post, the Uruguayan's glancing header needing a strong hand from Courtois.
And PSG were punished two minutes later when three Chelsea defenders combined to grab a vital away goal.
In the 36th minute, a failed attempt to clear a free-kick presented John Terry with the chance to cross. Gary Cahill met the centre with a cute back-heel and up popped Branislav Ivanovic to loop a header past a stationary Sirigu for his seventh Champions League goal.
Doubtless Mourinho reminded his troops to protect their precious advantage during his half-time team-talk.
But less than 10 minutes after the restart, PSG were back on terms. Matuidi managed to break free down the Chelsea, and with Cahill guilty of ball-watching, the midfielder's cross was gratefully headed home by an unmarked Cavani.
The equaliser breathed life into the Parc des Prince crowd and their team. And on the hour Chelsea were had Courtois to thank once more as he brilliantly parried an Ibrahimovic drive, the rebound cannoning off Terry as Lavezzi pounced.
PSG, undefeated on home soil in their previous 32 in UEFA competition, continued to pour forward looking for the winner. Ivanovic saw yellow for bringing down Cavani and Luiz's header from the resulting free-kick needed to be tipped over by Courtois.
With 10 minutes remaining, Cavani fashioned another shooting chance fore himself. But yet again Courtois fully justified Mourinho's decision to restore him to the starting line-up with another fine save.
Last year Chelsea needed a late, late Demba Ba strike at Stamford Bridge to progress on away goals.
Their away goal in Paris last night might prove just as vital.

Paris St-Germain (4-3-3): Sirigu; Van der Wiel, Marquinhos, Thiago Silva, Maxwell; Verratti, Luiz, Matuidi; Lavezzi, Ibrahimovic, Cavani.
Subs: Douchez, Camara, Digne, Kimpembe, Rabiot, Pastore, Bahebeck
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Courtois; Ivanovic, Terry, Cahill, Azpilicueta; Matic, Ramires; Willian, Fabregas, Hazard; Costa.
Subs: Cech, Filipe Luis, Zouma, Oscar, Cuadrado, Drogba, Remy.