Jose Mourinho upbeat as Chelsea bring it back home

Stubborn resistance and a Branislav Ivanovic header earned Chelsea a 1-1 draw in the Champions League last-16 first leg with Paris St Germain at Parc des Princes.

Jose Mourinho’s men are well placed to advance to the quarter-finals after Ivanovic netted a vital away goal, although Edinson Cavani equalised and PSG showed enough for Chelsea to be wary in the second leg on March 11.

Mourinho was satisfied to come away with a draw.

“We could have lost, so I think the result is a positive one. I don’t say very good because it depends on the result of the second leg but it is a positive result against a very good team with fantastic technical players. It was a difficult match.”

Mourinho admitted Thibaut Courtois’s saves were crucial. “When you see the performance of our goalkeeper you have to say yes, he made two or three important saves in the game. I am happy with the result because two legs is now one leg with everything to be decided at Stamford Bridge.”

Chelsea skipper John Terry was also happy to come away with a draw. “Thibaut Courtois pulled off some great saves and we go away with a happy draw,” Terry said.

“Last year we made it very difficult for ourselves but we are in a lot better position now.

“PSG keep the ball very well, David Luiz’s range of passing is very good so they were able to stretch us but I thought it was very even tonight. Branislav Ivanovic has been different class defensively this year and always has been, attacking he always poses a great threat.”

Chelsea advanced to the semi-finals at PSG’s expense last term on away goals after losing 3-1 in Paris and Demba Ba’s last-gasp strike in the return in London.

The Blues had won just once in six prior attempts on French soil, at PSG in Mourinho’s first European match as boss in September 2004.

With striker Diego Costa restored following his disputed three-match ban for stamping on Liverpool’s Emre Can and returns for goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, defender Gary Cahill and playmaker Cesc Fabregas, Chelsea were at full strength against an injury-depleted PSG, who started with former Chelsea defender Luiz in midfield.

Chelsea, with Cahill chosen ahead of Kurt Zouma, stuck rigorously to Mourinho’s instructions. The Blues, wearing yellow, harassed and harangued their opponents, but still PSG found gaps and Courtois was forced to justify his selection with two saves in quick succession.

Cavani chipped the ball for the onrushing Matuidi, whose powerful header was repelled by a strong Courtois hand.

Matuidi’s cross was then met by Zlatan Ibrahimovic, climbing high above John Terry, but the header went into the ground, losing its power and Courtois saved.

Fabregas, starting after shaking off a hamstring problem and illness, timed his run to claim a return pass from Willian was impeded on the edge of the PSG box, but nothing was given.

It was an early sign of a frustrating evening in attack for Chelsea.

PSG came close again and Courtois denied Cavani when the Uruguay striker lost marker Nemanja Matic to meet Ezequiel Lavezzi’s corner at the near post.

Chelsea struck after Hazard drew a foul — not for the first or last time in the match — from Ibrahimovic. The initial free-kick was half-cleared and the ball found its way to Terry on the left. His cross was flicked on by Cahill and an unmarked Ivanovic struck.

Ibrahimovic blasted a free-kick over in first-half stoppage time after Luiz appeared to improve the angle by sweeping up the referee’s vanishing spray and shifting it a yard inside.

Chelsea’s resistance was broken when Luiz spread the ball to the left and Matuidi crossed for Cavani, who had stolen away from Cahill and headed down and in.

PSG almost struck again but Courtois saved from Ibrahimovic and the follow-up shot from Lavezzi was blocked by Cesar Azpilicueta.

Chelsea were being stretched and frustrated.

The increasingly isolated Costa pushed arch-irritant Luiz firmly in the chest. Ivanovic was then booked for rugby tackling Cavani after being beaten on the wing and Fabregas was yellow carded for a trip on Matuidi.

Hazard was trying to find an opening, but if he was not fouled, he was knocked off balance.

PSG went close again when Cavani showed Hazard-like skill to glide into the Chelsea box, exchanging passes with Matuidi before wrong-footing Matic and prodding wide across goal.

Costa, Fabregas and Willian all departed, with Loic Remy, Oscar and Juan Cuadrado replacing them as Mourinho sent on fresh legs to continue Chelsea’s pressing game.

Still PSG had a chance of a winner only for Courtois to save an Ibrahimovic header in injury time.

Luiz stated on the eve of the match that Chelsea were a better team than last season. Last night, however, he was disappointed not to have claimed a first-leg lead.

“Without their goalkeeper, we would have won this game,” said David Luiz. “He was great. We did well. They got one goal from one opportunity, but I think we can go through over there.”

There are three weeks and a day before the return, by which time Chelsea’s confidence may be boosted by silverware, with the Capital One Cup final against Tottenham on March 1. By then Jose Mourinho will surely have decided who his No.1 goalkeeper is.

Goalscorer Ivanovic said: “Thibaut Courtois made amazing saves, at the moment we don’t which of our goalkeepers [are better] — they are both fantastic and it a great feeling to have someone behind you who is doing something special.”

PSG: Sirigu, van der Wiel, Marquinhos, Thiago Silva, Maxwell, Verratti, Luiz, Matuidi, Lavezzi (Pastore 81), Ibrahimovic, Cavani.

CHELSEA: Courtois, Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta, Ramires, Matic, Willian (Cuadrado 79), Fabregas (Oscar 83), Hazard, Costa (Remy 82).

Ref: Cuneyt Cakir (Turkey).