Liam Rosenior is heading back to France and it couldn’t be more different from his last visit .
The Chelsea boss, appointed in January on a six year deal , returns to the Parc des Princes on Wednesday night for a Champions League last 16 showdown with a PSG side described as being “on the verge of a crisis” .
THE STRASBOURG CONNECTION
Rosenior spent 18 months at Strasbourg before Chelsea came calling, leading them to European qualification and laying foundations his successor Gary O’Neil has built on . His last visit to the Parc des Princes? A 3-3 draw in October, where Strasbourg led 3-1 at one point .
He knows this opponent. He knows this ground. And he knows how to cause problems.
“We were playing against the best team in the world, full stop,” Rosenior said after that game. “I think they are a credit to this league.”
That was then. This is now.
THE PSG CRISIS
Let’s not exaggerate, PSG are still top of Ligue 1. But the signs are worrying. Friday’s 3-1 home defeat to Monaco was “heavily criticised” by French media . L’Equipe’s headline was brutal: “The champions have stopped responding.”
Four defeats already in 2026. Their lead over Lens is just one point. Fitness has been a nightmare all season, Ousmane Dembele only just back from a calf injury, Fabian Ruiz and Joao Neves absent, Gianluigi Donnarumma never adequately replaced .
“We are clearly in difficulty at the moment but we need to maintain hope that will change,” Luis Enrique admitted after the Monaco loss. “Confidence is not just something you buy at the supermarket.”
THE CHELSEA FORM
Rosenior has lost just three games in 15 since taking charge, all of them against Arsenal . A 4-1 win at Aston Villa last week left Chelsea fifth in the Premier League. Saturday’s extra time victory at Wrexham took them through to the FA Cup quarter finals .
A much changed team for that cup tie means fresh legs for Paris. Cole Palmer, Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, the big guns will be ready.
THE HISTORY
Chelsea and PSG have history in this competition. From 2014 to 2016, they met in the knockout phase three straight seasons . Chelsea won the first (quarter final), PSG the next two (last 16). Most recently, Chelsea beat them 3-0 in the Club World Cup final last July .
Now they meet again. Same competition. Same stakes. Different managers.
THE ROSENIOR FACTOR
Rosenior has already done something remarkable at Chelsea, steadying a ship that looked lost under previous regimes. But this is different. This is the Champions League knockout phase. This is Paris away.
He’ll be hoping to repeat the achievements of Roberto Di Matteo and Thomas Tuchel both mid season appointments who led Chelsea to European glory .
First step: exploit PSG’s weaknesses. Second step: survive the Parc des Princes. Third step: bring a lead back to the Bridge.
“These are the games you live for, games that you come into football for,” Rosenior said after the draw.
He’s about to find out if his Chelsea are ready to live them.
