PSG 2 Chelsea 1: Gary Cahill and Willian lead brave resistance to earn Guus Hiddink’s side Champions League chance

Five things we learned from Champions League last-16 first leg

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Mikel scores at both ends but gives Chelsea foothold

John Obi Mikel has made his career at Chelsea shutting down games, keeping the ball, making sure that no goals are scored. That is why so many Chelsea managers have used him over his surprisingly long Stamford Bridge career. So his was a rather unusual contribution last night, as he made goals at both ends during a hectic spell at the end of the first half.

Mikel could not have been more obliging with Paris Saint-Germain’s opener. First he gave away a free-kick by tripping Lucas Moura as he ran towards goal. When Zlatan Ibrahimovic took it, Mikel, standing on the edge of the wall, mindlessly turned his back and deflected the ball past Thibaut Courtois off his heel.

But this was an unusual night, and six minutes later Mikel scored his sixth goal in more than a decade at the Bridge, hacking a loose ball into the net after Diego Costa flicked on a corner. He may not score again for some time.

Cahill steps in for Terry with assurance and bravery

This would have been a perfect night for John Terry, as Chelsea faced experienced opposition on a big stage, a game requiring all the nous and focus he has developed over his long career. But in his absence it was a big occasion for Gary Cahill, back in the centre of defence after a very difficult January on the bench watching Terry and Kurt Zouma at centre-back.

Cahill gave a performance Terry would have been proud of, throwing himself in front of everything, winning challenges with Ibrahimovic and trying to block every PSG effort on target. Branislav Ivanovic moved alongside Cahill at centre-back and played like he did four years ago, on the way to Chelsea’s unlikely Champions League triumph. They survived as long as they could without Terry, though of course they will desperately want the captain back for the second leg.

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Willian once again shows his ability from box to box

For most of this season, Chelsea have used either Cesc Fabreagas or Oscar as No 10, behind Diego Costa. Jose Mourinho even opted for Eden Hazard there when he was trying to spark some form out of him in November.

Last night, though, Guus Hiddink played Willian in the hole, and he was rewarded with another excellent all-round performance from Chelsea’s clear player of the season. Willian cleaned up in front of his area and counter-attacked with pace, launching all of their best moves. Had Costa finished more efficiently, Willian would have recorded an assist or two, and he continued to run and press even as his team-mates grew tired in the second half.

PSG do not have what it takes to win Champions League

Paris Saint-Germain have excellent players and an immaculate record in Ligue 1, in which they are 24 points clear of second-placed Monaco. But this game was a demonstration that they cannot quite hit the very highest level demanded of teams who want to win the Champions League. They had all the early pressure but could not blow Chelsea away, in the way that Bayern Munich or Barcelona might.

When Chelsea dug in and tried to hit them on the break, later in the first half, PSG did look like a team who had not faced opponents like them for some time.

This is not to say that PSG are a bad side, they are clearly very good. With their 2-1 lead they will expect to go through, and perhaps reach the semi-finals or beyond. But they do not quite have that top gear of the biggest teams, in part because they do not need it.

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Frustrating Cavani comes good at last for PSG

Edinson Cavani has not had an especially good time at PSG since they bought him for roughly £50m from Napoli in 2013. When PSG played at Stamford Bridge in the quarter-final in 2014, he had a very good chance to knock the English side out which he blazed well over.

Demba Ba scored at the other end soon after, knocking PSG out. Cavani did not even start last night, and PSG look a more balanced team with Angel di Maria on the wing instead. But last night it was Cavani who made the difference, running in behind and finishing sharply to give the French team a crucial 2-1 lead. He had a more efficient night, in fact, than Ibrahimovic. Whether this makes him a PSG hero again, wait and see.