Paris Saint-Germain scored five, but it was after a potential sixth goal was disallowed that Enzo Fernandez picked up the ball and threw it angrily at his goalkeeper, Filip Jorgensen.
Fed up, Fernandez was annoyed at Jorgensen for persisting with trying to pass from the back, having already handed PSG their lead when this Champions League tie was tensely locked at 2-2.
Jorgensen committed the evening’s big error in allowing Bradley Barcola to intercept the ball. Seconds later, Vitinha was lobbing Chelsea’s goalkeeper for 3-2, the Parc des Princes big screen zooming in to show the humiliated Jorgensen sitting with head in hands in the six-yard box.
Liam Rosenior is bold, we will give him that, but there is a fine line between bravery and, well, copying what Tottenham Hotspur did to themselves in this very competition at Atletico Madrid on Tuesday night. Rosenior replaced his experienced goalkeeper in Robert Sanchez with a younger model, and the 23-year-old made a mistake which cost Chelsea dearly at the Parc des Princes.
Not a good week to be a back-up goalkeeper, clearly, Rosenior took a risk and it backfired big time. This was self-destruction and, dare we say it, all rather ‘Spursy’ from Chelsea as they even ended up losing by the same scoreline as their beleaguered Premier League rivals.
It was Khvicha Kvaratskhelia who added in PSG’s fourth and fifth goals with the jittery Jorgensen having lost all confidence. That last one conceded was particularly poor, and potentially a tie killer, and it is hard not to think that Sanchez would have saved Kvaratskhelia’s shot.
Now, Chelsea need to win 3-0 at Stamford Bridge next week just to take this clash to extra time. It is not impossible, but is improbable. Jorgensen was not substituted like Antonin Kinsky of Tottenham, but you do wonder who Rosenior will use in goal for their next game at home to Newcastle United on Saturday.
Liam Rosenior was bold with his selection but Chelsea were punished in Paris, despite often being on the front foot
A mistake by Filip Jorgensen called into question Rosenior’s decision to drop Robert Sanchez
PSG were prolific and capitalised on Chelsea’s weaknesses to claim a 5-2 victory
This heavy loss was a shame for Chelsea in a way because, in truth, their approach was initially impressive. Rosenior arrived at the home of the Champions League holders and wanted his side to act like a big club. It was not safety-first football. It was not the second leg of the Carabao Cup at Arsenal. It was not with the aim of stifling PSG or robbing a result. It was exciting and largely effective until Jorgensen misplaced that pass.
‘That’s on me,’ Rosenior said afterwards. ‘I need to be better in moments, in setbacks. We have to stay calm in the moment and we didn’t, me included. The scoreline is a painful one.
‘Filip is not the first one to make a mistake, that’s part of football. He held his hands up in the dressing room. Everyone makes mistakes. We’ve shot ourselves in the foot and made this tie very difficult but not impossible.’
Everyone following Chelsea knew Jorgensen would start from early on in the day. While club insiders insist they are not upset, they may wish to ask around internally as to why, eight hours before kick-off, a French journalist revealed their starting line-up on social media. He nailed it, including the selection of Jorgensen over Sanchez. This is football, it happens, one source said.
However, Rosenior is a head coach who heavily guards his line-ups. Whereas Enzo Maresca never had any qualms in telling us who he would be using in goal, for example, Rosenior refuses to give so much as a hint. ‘I’m sure we’ll get to the bottom of that if that’s the case,’ Chelsea’s head coach said when informed that his line-up had been leaked.
In the PSG club shop, they sell caps with ‘31 Mai 2025’ plastered on the front, a nod to the night they won the Champions League. They are a technically talented side, and twice took the lead through Barcola and Ousmane Dembele but twice saw Chelsea equalise through Malo Gusto and Fernandez. The visitors’ defending had largely been their downfall.
It was in the 74th minute when Jorgensen took one risk too many. He tried to play a pass out of his box and allowed Barcola to intercept as Vitinha scored into the vacant goal. Nice though his finish was, this entire situation was preventable. Kvaratskhelia’s strike for PSG’s fourth was glorious, but in making it five, you sensed Jorgensen had been beaten easily.
Chelsea players let out their frustrations towards full-time with Pedro Neto sparking a melee after shoving a Parisian ballboy. He apologised for doing his impression of Eden Hazard, while Jorgensen likewise said sorry to his team-mates afterwards. It was a rough night for Rosenior, who realises it will take an almighty turnaround to avoid exiting Europe next week.
