Chelsea sends a 'challenge letter' to PSG ahead of the Champions League showdown

Chelsea approaches the Champions League Round of 16 clash with PSG with confidence, declaring no intimidation by the current European titleholders in a challenging draw.

Chelsea has delivered a firm message to the reigning European champions Paris Saint-Germain following the draw that the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 pits the two teams together again. The Premier League representative will travel to Paris for the first leg next month before returning home for the second leg at Stamford Bridge. Despite facing a major challenge, the London club insists they are "not at all afraid" of their opponent.

PSG embarks on their title defense campaign after demolishing Inter Milan 5-0 in last season's final at the Allianz Arena, with goals from Achraf Hakimi, Desire Doue, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and Senny Mayulu. However, their path to this year's Round of 16 under coach Luis Enrique was far from smooth, as they struggled to overcome AS Monaco in the play-off round with a 5-4 aggregate score after two legs.

The last time PSG met Chelsea was in the FIFA Club World Cup final last July. A brace from Cole Palmer and a goal from Joao Pedro then helped the West London side secure a 3-0 victory at MetLife Stadium.

Chelsea secured their spot in the league phase top eight after an impressive comeback win against Napoli at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. Football director David Barnard acknowledged this will be a significant test but emphasized: "PSG are the champions, and people will certainly mention last summer's final. However, we are not fearful. At this stage, nothing can be taken lightly."

Chelsea landed in the tougher half of the draw. The winner of this tie will face either Galatasaray or Liverpool in the quarter-finals, after the Turkish side eliminated Juventus 7-5 on aggregate. Further ahead, a potential semi-final spot could mean a clash with giants like Real Madrid, Manchester City, Atalanta, or Bayern Munich.

Manager Liam Rosenior expressed excitement about the upcoming major battle: "PSG are a fantastic team. Luis Enrique has done an excellent job. These are the matches you live for. It will be a top-level tie." Nevertheless, the English strategist stated he must focus on the three matches ahead, including the encounter with Arsenal this weekend to settle the score after a 4-2 aggregate loss in the EFL Cup semi-finals.

Regarding squad news, Marc Cucurella will miss the trip to the Emirates, while Reece James is fully fit. Romeo Lavia is progressing positively and performed well in an internal training match. Estevao Willian needs more recovery time, and Jamie Gittens is also undergoing treatment. Midfielder Dario Essugo has returned to training and hopes for a comeback soon after the Club World Cup final against Palmeiras.

Additionally, center-back Wesley Fofana is suspended following his red card against Burnley, adding to Chelsea's difficulties as they come off two consecutive draws against Leeds and Burnley. The immediate test is named Arsenal, but beyond that, all of Europe awaits the fiery knockout showdown between Chelsea and PSG.