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PSG, Real aim to seal the deal

PSG, without injured spearhead Zlatan Ibrahimovic, do not actually need to score any goals at Stamford Bridge to knock Chelsea out following their 3-1
Last Updated 07 April 2014, 18:23 IST
Jose Mourinho has been claiming his side have no decent strikers but whatever he may think, Chelsea still have the firepower to beat French champions Paris St Germain and reach the semifinals of the Champions League on Tuesday.

PSG, without injured spearhead Zlatan Ibrahimovic, do not actually need to score any goals at Stamford Bridge to knock Chelsea out following their 3-1 first leg win in Paris.
 
It probably will not be as simple as that though, as Chelsea know a 2-0 win will see them through on the away goals rule. Even if his strikers again fail to impress Mourinho, Chelsea have an array of midfielders capable of swinging the tie in favour of the London club.
 
PSG do, though, start the match with a healthy advantage after Javier Pastore's goal with the last kick of the game at the Parc des Princes  last week gave them a buffer.
 
However, Chelsea at Stamford Bridge are a different proposition to the team that have lost their last three away matches in all competitions.
 
"We know it won't be easy at home but we can turn the tie around," midfielder Eden Hazard, who scored from the penalty spot and hit the woodwork in the first leg, said.
 
"We have proved we can do this before, and we can do it again next week."
 
Winger Andre Schurrle, preferred to 50 million pounds ($82.95 million) striker Fernando Torres in Paris, agreed they were down after the defeat, but not out.

"It's the worst time of the season to get results like this (but) we are a different team at Stamford Bridge with our fans behind us. It will be difficult but it is not impossible."
 
Ahead of the game, Mourinho said that he might risk Cameroonian forward Samuel Eto’o who missed the first leg because of an injury. 
 
"If we don't score a minimum of two goals, we are out. We know that," said Mourinho. "If we can have everybody available who can give us a chance to score goals then let's do that. 
 
“So maybe I will pick him [Eto'o] but to risk a player you need to have minimum conditions. If you think he's going to be out after 10 minutes of the game you can't take that risk. But if there is a minimum of conditions of risk, then, yes, I will pick him."
 
There is some comfort in the absence of Ibrahimovic, who has scored 25 league goals this season in 30 appearances and played under Mourinho in Italy.

He is missing after hurting his hamstring in the first leg.
 
With Ibrahimovic sidelined, coach Laurent Blanc will field Cavani as number nine with Lavezzi and Lucas on the left and right flanks respectively.

Blanc insisted PSG will stay true to their style even without Ibrahimovic.
 
"Our philosophy and our tactics will not change," he said.

The only uncertainty is regarding who will start as right back, although Gregory van der Wiel appeared comfortable after returning from a knee injury against Reims, providing the cross for Cavani's opener.
 
Chelsea do have history of turning around first-leg deficits to advance.

They did so famously against Napoli in 2012 when they won the Champions League and midfielder Frank Lampard believed they are a side which can win. 
 
"You're looking at a stronger team [than Napoli] but we can certainly win by two goals," said the midfielder. "It's about being focused and getting our attitude and pace in our game right."
 
Advantage Real
 
Cristiano Ronaldo will be fit to terrorise Borussia Dortmund's defence on Tuesday despite a niggle in his knee, and build on Real Madrid's 3-0 first leg advantage to book a spot in the Champions League last four.
 
Real coach Carlo Ancelotti rested the Champions League top scorer for Saturday's 4-0 La Liga win at Real Sociedad that helped them keep pace with leaders Atletico Madrid and second-placed champions Barcelona.
 
The Portugal captain, who has a record-equalling 14 goals this season in Europe's elite club competition, has complained of discomfort in his left knee but Ancelotti said he should be available for the second leg in Germany after a few days' rest and treatment.
 
Real have a slight doubt over the fitness of record signing Gareth Bale after he sustained a small gash to his right knee in Saturday's win in San Sebastian.

The Wales winger, who scored with a brilliant long-range strike to make it 2-0, needed a couple of stitches in the wound, local media reported.
 
It is this fighting spirit this season that has turned things around between the Germans and the Spaniards after Dortmund ousted Real at the semifinal stage last season.
 
Dortmund, however, boosted their own confidence with a 2-1 comeback win over VfL Wolfsburg on Saturday that tightened their hold on second place in the Bunsdesliga and took pressure off the team as they chase an automatic Champions League spot for next season.
 
"This win was very good for us," said Dortmund coach Juergen Klopp.

"Had we lost we would have had to surrender to the murderous pressure. It was important to win and go into Tuesday's game with a good feeling.”

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(Published 07 April 2014, 18:21 IST)

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