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Your support makes all the difference.Paris Saint-Germain manager Laurent Blanc could have a whopping seven first-team players missing for the Champions League last-16 clash first-leg against Chelsea tonight.
The French club suffered terrible luck over the weekend when they ended a 2-2 draw with Caen with only nine players because of injury.
Four players went down in that game with right-back Serge Aurier, midfielder Yohan Cabaye and Brazilian winger Lucas Moura all definitely out. Centre-back Marquinhos was also injured in the match but managed to make it through a training session on Monday; he will be assessed again before kick-off.
Thiago Motta did not play at the weekend and though he had a chance to play against Chelsea, he was ruled out of the match last night after struggling to make it through a training session on Monday.
Blaise Matuidi, however, made it through that same session but will face a late fitness test with Laurent Blanc deciding whether to risk him.
Argentina winger Javier Pastore has been missing since coming off against Rennes on 30 January, though he did train on Monday and also has a chance to play.
"I would have liked to have prepared in other circumstances in terms of the injuries," Blanc said yesterday.
"When things go against you, you try to see the positive. It could bring the team together, strengthen the bond between the players and the staff and the medical staff -- who are really being tested right now -- and the fans."
"The fans need to understand that we're struggling with the squad now. I hope that chemistry will be there tomorrow as we're up against a really good team."
Chelsea have fewer injury worries, although John Obi Mikel is definitely out while Cesc Fabregas is slightly ill and Oscar and Willian have 'little' problems.
Manager Jose Mourinho had no sympathy for Blanc's injury problems, however.
"When the French players were on holiday we played five games in 10 days so don’t speak to me about game accumulation," he said.
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