The Georgian’s early opener was soon followed by a brilliant Bradley Barcola strike, quickly ending Chelsea’s hopes of turning around their 5-2 deficit from the first leg of the last-16 tie last week.
Substitute Senny Mayulu then fired in PSG’s third in the second half, as Luis Enrique’s men march on to a last-eight tie next month against either Liverpool or Galatasaray – the Turkish side go to Anfield with a 1-0 first-leg advantage on Wednesday.
PSG’s dream of retaining the Champions League title remains very much alive, a year after winning the trophy for the first time in their history.
The Qatar-backed side’s comprehensive victory in this tie gives them revenge for their loss to the Blues in last July’s Club World Cup final, and indicates that they might be finding their very best form again at just the right time.
“It is amazing. To score three goals away against Chelsea is good and the important thing is that we continue to play very well, so we have to keep going like this,” Kvaratskhelia told broadcaster Canal Plus.
This was their fourth win in a two-legged knockout tie against Premier League opposition since the start of last year, but while that record is impressive, Chelsea looked a long way short of the level required in Europe’s elite club competition.
Liam Rosenior’s team never really appeared to believe they could come back from their collapse six days ago at the Parc des Princes, when they conceded three late goals to go from 2-2 to 5-2 down.
“A tough night. We knew it was a tough ask and then we started the game in the manner that we did,” Rosenior said.
Their attention will now turn back to the fight to qualify for the Champions League again next season, after a miserable week in which two defeats against PSG have come either side of a loss at home to Newcastle United in the Premier League.
“When you go through a difficult run, you have to make sure your habits are right,” Rosenior added.
Meanwhile, Vinicius Junior said “everything changes” for Real Madrid in the Champions League after his double dumped out Manchester City to take the 15-time winners into the quarter-finals 5-1 on aggregate.
Most of the damage for Pep Guardiola’s men was inflicted last week in a 3-0 first leg defeat at the Santiago Bernabeu.
A 2-1 home defeat confirmed City’s fourth Champions League exit to Madrid in the last five seasons, including each of the past three years.
But the Spanish giants began the tie as underdogs due to their unconvincing form, that led to Xabi Alonso replacing Alvaro Arbeloa as coach in January.
“All of us players know that the good games are coming and when Madrid play in this competition, everything changes,” said Vinicius, who has twice scored in Champions League finals for Los Blancos in 2022 and 2024.
“The fans change, the players change and we’re prepared for more. That is coming soon.”
Any doubt over the outcome of the tie was killed just 20 minutes in when City captain Bernardo Silva was sent off for deflecting a Vinicius shot off the line with his arm.
The Brazilian converted from the spot and should have added many more before he rounded off the scoring deep into stoppage time after Erling Haaland levelled for City.
Arsenal eased into the quarter-finals as Eberechi Eze’s stunning strike inspired a 2-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen in the last-16 second leg.
Often derided for winning in ugly fashion this season, Mikel Arteta’s side produced a pair of eye-catching goals to seal their 3-1 aggregate victory at the Emirates Stadium.
Eze broke the deadlock with a long-range rocket late in the first half and Declan Rice’s composed finish killed off outclassed Leverkusen after the interval.
Arsenal needed Kai Havertz’s late penalty to rescue a 1-1 draw in the first leg last week, but they were far more commanding in the rematch as they reached the quarter-finals for a third successive season. (AFP)
Edited by Cecil Wong
