Chelsea number 8 Oscar missed the Premier League game with Everton last weekend but is set to be available for the crunch encounter with PSG in the first knockout round of The Champions League on Tuesday evening – the part of the competition that we have all been waiting for.
But we feel that, despite the recovery of the Brazilian regular, that Jose might spring a small surprise in the attacking areas in this tough away tie against PSG.
Jose Mourinho, that most canny of operators, will know that he probably can’t win the tie in the first leg but he can lose it. A notoriously cautious manager, we feel that Jose will opt to play Cesc Fabregas in the hole behind Costa and leave Oscar on the bench.
It’s a slightly defensive move but allows Chelsea to effectively operate with one more midfielder in there. Cesc will offer genuine goal threat but also cover his defenders more naturally in a game against a ferocious attacking unit on their own patch.
Chelsea have been extremely lucky with injuries this season and John Obi Mikel is the only absentee for this one. So Jose can pick tried and tested formula and the only other question is whether he goes for Cesar Azpilicueta or Filipe Luis at left back. Mourinho has tended to use Luis in Europe but may simply go with what he believes to be his best XI for this stage of the competition.
So here is our team for the huge game in Paris. Chelsea fans: let’s have your elevens.
