Sawt Falasteen - Luis Enrique confident PSG can raise game ahead of Chelsea showdown

"We have no doubts whatsoever. We are going into the best part of the season and we need to be able to handle the step up," the Spaniard told reporters at PSG's training ground when asked whether his team could return to the level of performance they showed a year ago.

PSG welcome Chelsea to the Parc des Princes on Wednesday in the first leg of their last-16 tie, as the sides meet for the first time since the English outfit's 3-0 victory in last July's Club World Cup final.

That was the only blemish on a remarkable last campaign for PSG which saw the Qatar-backed club win the Champions League for the first time in their history.

But the demands of that marathon season have left a trace, with numerous players struggling for form and fitness in 2025/26.

PSG lost 3-1 at home to Monaco last weekend, a result which left them just a point clear of Lens at the top of Ligue 1.

They finished 11th in the league phase of the Champions League after winning just one of their last five matches, and then scraped past Monaco in the play-off round.

But Luis Enrique is hoping that meeting Chelsea can bring the best out of his team, who eliminated three Premier League sides in the knockout rounds on the way to last season's final.

"All the English teams are exceptional, top-class sides, and Chelsea we know very well from having played against them last summer," he said.

"They have changed coach since then and some players too, but we know how difficult these games are and we will try to be ready."

The former Barcelona boss, who praised Chelsea coach Liam Rosenior for the "attractive and attacking" style he played during 18 months in Ligue 1 at Strasbourg, also said trying to retain the Champions League title was less daunting a prospect than winning it for the first time.

"I think the first time was harder but the second time is not easy -- We all know we can win the second one and that is what we will try to do."

J.Saleh--SF-PST