UEFA Champions League: PSG knock-out Chelsea again, Benfica enter quarters

New Delhi: Defending English champions Chelsea's trouble season continued after they failed in the French test of the UEFA Champions League.

After a tumultuous start to the season, wherein, they witnessed an uncharacteristic drop in the form and also the dismissal of their famed manager Jose Mourinho, Chelsea have one opportunity to redeem in the continental tournament.

But, the Blues were beaten by French champions Paris Saint-Germain again, in the second-leg of their Champions League last-16 stage match early Thursday morning.

Guus Hiddink's side needed to win the tie after losing the first leg 1-2. However, Adrien Rabiot scored the opener to put the visitors ahead as early as 16th minute.

Dieo Costa equalised 11 minutes later to give the home side a realistic chance to book a quarter-final spot, but Zlatan Ibrahimovic proved the difference between the sides with former Barcelona striker settling the tie with a 67th minute winner.

PSG are through to the last-eight with an aggregate score of 4-2.

Thus, the second season running in which PSG have eliminated Chelsea at this stage and the fourth successive year they have reached the last eight.

Earlier, two-time European champions Benfica reached the Champions League quarter-finals with a 3-1 aggregate win against former Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas' Zenit St Petersburg.

The Portuguese side which won the first leg 1-0, produced a brilliant rear-guard action scoring two lats goals.

Zenit leveled the tie in Russia when Hulk scored a second-half header in the 69th minute, but the visitors scored two in the final stretch through Gaitan (85th) and Souza Conceicao (90'+6) to kill the contest.