Paris St Germain rediscover champions’ edge as Champions League enters final straight

Paris St Germain are not quite purring yet, but the holders are beginning to look like themselves again as the Champions League is about to enter its decisive phase.

Their 3-0 win at Chelsea on Tuesday, which wrapped up an emphatic 8-2 aggregate victory, offered a glimpse of a side rediscovering the balance that made them European champions last season.

“We know how we won last year,” captain Marquinhos said. “That’s the path to follow if we want to hope for a double.”

At Stamford Bridge, PSG sealed their qualification with cold-blooded control, scoring on their first two chances after applying their trademark pressure on the opponents' defence.

For Marquinhos, the shift is as much mental as tactical.

“The mentality has changed,” he said. “We showed Europe that we always want to win.”

Last season’s run was built not on dominance alone but on the ability to absorb difficult spells and respond without panic — a trait that had sometimes eluded PSG in previous European campaigns.

“Last year, we knew how to manage difficult moments,” Marquinhos said. “That’s our recent history, and it’s what gives us confidence.”

This campaign has not been linear as PSG endured turbulence during the group stage, at times looking vulnerable in transition and uncertain in their pressing.

But as spring approaches, Luis Enrique’s side appear more aligned with their coach’s demands with compactness between the lines, aggression in the right moments and ruthlessness when space opens.

Against Chelsea, the defensive block remained disciplined even if rarely threatened, the midfield screened effectively and the forwards pressed in coordinated waves.

When opportunities came, PSG were clinical with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia continuing his rise to becoming a world-class player, and Bradley Barcola rediscovering his scoring touch.

“It’s easier to build on past victories,” Marquinhos said. “But nothing is guaranteed. Before celebrating qualification, we have to keep going and keep improving.”

That note of caution reflects a club acutely aware of how narrow the margins become in the latter rounds. PSG have reached the quarter-finals for the 10th time in 13 seasons, but only recently have they managed to convert that consistency into continental supremacy.

Potential opponents Liverpool or Galatasaray promise a sterner examination. Yet PSG now look less frenetic, more assured as they carry the weight of expectation rather than buckle under it.

“We have to stay humble,” Marquinhos warned. “Nothing is easy in this competition.”

(Reporting by Julien Pretot Editing by Christian Radnedge)