Paris Saint-Germain winger Desire Doue has fired a warning to potential last-16 opponents Chelsea, insisting his team holds no fear ahead of a possible blockbuster Champions League clash.
“We Hold No Fear”: Doue Sends Bold Message Ahead of Potential Chelsea Tie
The Ligue 1 champions secured their spot in the next round on Wednesday evening after a dramatic 2-2 draw with Monaco in the second leg of their knockout playoff.
PSG advanced 5-4 on aggregate, but they had to dig deep against their resilient French rivals.
Monaco stunned the home crowd by taking the lead just before half-time through Maghnes Akliouche.
However, the game shifted dramatically after Monaco’s Mamadou Coulibaly received a red card. PSG immediately pounced, with Marquinhos heading home the equalizer in the 60th minute.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia then fired them ahead just six minutes later, seemingly putting the tie to bed.
But Monaco refused to quit. In stoppage time, substitute Jordan Teze slammed the ball home from Simon Adingra’s cross to make it 2-2 on the night.
The visitors then almost forced extra time, but Wout Faes sent a glancing header wide of the post in the dying seconds, much to the relief of the Parc des Princes.
The victory sets up a last-16 tie against either Chelsea or Barcelona. For Doue, the identity of the opponent does not change PSG’s mindset.
The young attacker made it clear the holders will step onto the pitch brimming with belief.
“It’s going to be two great games,” Doue told UEFA.
“In any case, we’ll approach them with a lot of confidence, and we’re ready to go up against them regardless of which team it is.”
Reflecting on the hard-fought win over Monaco, Doue praised his team’s resilience.
“We’re really happy to get through. It was so important to pass this test,” he said.
“We managed to show great spirit, and remained resilient, showing that by coming back from behind.”
PSG head coach Luis Enrique echoed his player’s fearless attitude. The Spanish tactician believes his squad is battle-hardened and prepared for whoever they draw.
“We are ready to play against any team,” said Luis Enrique.
“We are used to playing these difficult matches. Barcelona or Chelsea, it will be great.”
With the first leg scheduled for March, the football world now awaits Friday’s draw to see if PSG will indeed get their wish for a showdown with the English giants.
