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Edinson Cavani is bringing PSG out of Zlatan’s shadow

By Marcel Dumas

PARIS, FRANCE - NOVEMBER 6: Edinson Cavani of PSG celebrates his second goal during the French Ligue 1 match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Stade Rennais FC (Rennes) at Parc des Princes stadium on November 6, 2016 in Paris, France. (Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images )
PARIS, FRANCE - NOVEMBER 6: Edinson Cavani of PSG celebrates his second goal during the French Ligue 1 match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Stade Rennais FC (Rennes) at Parc des Princes stadium on November 6, 2016 in Paris, France. (Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images ) /
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For PSG to reach the heights of the storied clubs, they can not be tied to a single great talent. Their history must be written by multiple talents who build up and continue the tradition of excellence. For Paris Saint-Germain, Edinson Cavani is the one taking the baton and moving it forward.

Paris Saint-Germain set out on a mission to become one of the top clubs in the world. With a seemingly unlimited budget, no player was exempt from approach by the club. The financial power yielded the capture of the incomparable Zlatan Ibrahimovic. While the big Swede took the capital outfit to new heights, his talents and ego cast a shadow that encompassed his teammates and the club itself.

When Ibrahimovic decided to take his gifts to Manchester United, a void was created. PSG would no longer have the face it had been associated with over the previous four seasons. Trying to replace Zlatan is nearly impossible, but may have been a blessing for Edinson Cavani.

The great teams are driven by the great players who wear the badge, but they are not defined by any single one. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are the current faces of Barcelona and Real Madrid. When one looks at those clubs, they do not see only those players, but a list of talents who built the history. Prior to Messi there was Ronaldinho, Maradona and Cruyff. Ronaldo followed players like Raul, Zidane and Di Stefano.

For PSG to reach the heights of the storied clubs, they can not be tied to a single great talent. Their history must be written by multiple talents who build up and continue the tradition of excellence. For Paris Saint-Germain, Cavani is the one taking the baton and moving it forward.

Hard times in Paris

Edinson Cavani came to Paris with the reputation as a formidable striker. Arriving prior to the 2013-2014 season from Napoli, Cavani was expected to form a lethal partnership with Ibrahimovic. The transition was far from an easy one.

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Finding a tactical balance between him and Zlatan was mediocre at best. Cavani was pushed from his preferred central role to being out wide. He saw fewer opportunities in his new role and struggled to cash in on the ones he had.

Despite scoring no less than 16 goals in his first three seasons (per Ligue1.com) in Paris, Cavani was deemed a disappointment by many. Transfer rumors regarding the Uruguayan hitman swirled over the past few transfer seasons with Arsenal and Chelsea among the reported suitors. Despite the rumored interest, Cavani stayed in Paris.

A new beginning in the city of lights

With the departure of Ibrahimovic, the opportunity to lead the line was Cavani’s to take. He also had to contend with the managerial change that brought Unai Emery in to replace Laurent Blanc. Cavani and PSG started the Ligue 1 season slowly as Emery employed his tactics. El Matador bagged a single goal in the first four league games before finding the mark against SM Caen. His four goal outburst in the first half of the Caen game kick started a run of 12 goals in 10 Ligue 1 matches. It is no coincidence that PSG has regained their footing during this time.

Playing back in a more central role has allowed Cavani to use his skills and attributes to their fullest. Edinson is an effort player who never stops moving. This along with his strength make him difficult to mark for a full 90 minutes. He uses his frame well to shield defenders and get into the difficult areas in front of net. his continuous running fits perfectly with  Angel Di Maria’s pin point service.

Fans have seen a rebirth of the player who wreaked havoc in Serie A for Napoli. He has scored 18 goals in 17 games across all competitions for PSG. Heading into Wednesday’s match with Angers, he sits a single goal behind Pauleta for second on PSG’s all time goal scoring list. A continuation of his scoring prowess will see him launch an assault on Ibrahimovic’s club record, but help PSG move on from Zlatan’s shadow.

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