Edinson Cavani’s talismanic Coupe de la Ligue final performance in the win over Monaco marked his continuing rise out of Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s shadow
By Adam White and Eric Devin for Get French Football News
Whistles rang round the Parc des Princes. As Ángel Di María’s shot ricocheted down from the bar, with Metz keeper Thomas Didillon stranded, Edinson Cavani conspired to embarrassingly scuff his rebound effort wide, the goal at his mercy, much to the Parisian crowd’s increasing frustration. This was not an isolated incident. Although PSG eased to a 3-0 victory back in August, Cavani, thrust into the spotlight of the centre-forward role vacated by Zlatan Ibrahimovic, cut a disillusioned and embittered figure. He choked.
Thirty-one points clear and 35 goals better off than anyone else at the end of the previous campaign, scoring Ligue 1 goals for the Paris club is far from a challenge, and this Cavani did. Nevertheless, the Uruguayan’s performances as a whole were still surprisingly wayward as a series of bewildering misses accompanied the goals. Displays in the 3-1 loss at Monaco and the home draw with Saint-Étienne were so erratic and lacking in composure that after the PSG No9’s dismal finishing during the visit of Arsenal, spurning a clear chance was referred to by a Canal+ commentator the following day as “doing a Cavani”.
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