Tuesday 15 December 2015 15:41, UK
Paris Saint-Germain coach Laurent Blanc insists his team are not overwhelming favourites to dump struggling Chelsea out of the Champions League.
Jose Mourinho's side are in the midst of a disastrous domestic campaign that sees them lying just two places and one point above the relegation places following their 2-1 defeat to Leicester on Monday night.
The Champions League represents their best hope of salvaging their season but they face a difficult last-16 tie against a PSG side who knocked them out on away goals at the same stage of last season's competition.
The French champions have been in excellent form this season and sit 17 points clear at the top of Ligue 1 but Blanc insists that will count for little when the teams meet in February.
"This time it will be 50/50. Although we beat them the last time, these are still two strong, ambitious clubs," Blanc said on Tuesday.
"February is not so far away, but there is nothing to say that Chelsea will still be in the same position, and nothing to say that we will be in the same form as we are now."
After finishing second to Real Madrid in Group A, PSG managed to avoid tournament favourites Barcelona and Bayern Munich but that does not mean Blanc was relieved to see Chelsea come out of the hat.
"No coach says to himself that he has an easy draw. We need to analyse it," Blanc added.
"By finishing second in our group we had some big teams to avoid. Here we will be coming up against a fine team who have already won the Champions League.
"Preparing for the game will be the only easy thing. The two teams have not changed much and know each other well."
Blanc was speaking before PSG begin their defence of the French League Cup with a last 16 tie at home to Saint-Etienne on Wednesday.
