Opinion

Last night’s Champions League drama showed Chelsea dodged a bullet not signing £52m player

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With Chelsea not involved in European action this season, there is an opportunity to sit back and watch the drama the Champions League brings mostly as a neutral.

Most eyes last night will have been glued to the Parc des Princes, as Newcastle United looked to save their hopes in Europe.

The side who dismantled Mauricio Pochettino’s men last weekend were on the brink of a famous victory against PSG, before a controversial penalty brought the hosts back into the game late on.

Paris Saint-Germain v Newcastle United FC: Group F - UEFA Champions League 2023/24
Photo by Richard Callis/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images

Former Blue Tino Livramento seemed to handle the ball, although there is plenty of debate over whether the correct decision was come to.

In the mix of things, a player Chelsea reportedly really wanted to sign over the last summer transfer window endured another miserable night in the competition.

Manuel Ugarte had no joy in the return of this fixture earlier in the campaign, and endured another rough evening last night in the Champions League.

Chelsea dodged bullet with Ugarte

He was substituted early in the second half after he lost the midfield battle, with him not impressing many after his big move over the summer.

PSG blew the Blues out the water in the market with a £52m bid for the player, after Chelsea established him as an early transfer target.

In a window where a number of elite midfielders were on the move, the Blues brought in both Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia ahead of interest from other Premier League sides.

It is safe to say that it looks like they made the best decision not pushing back against the French side in any attempts to sign the Uruguay international, and instead looking elsewhere in the market.