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French giants Paris Saint Germain have dominated Ligue 1 completely as they won the league for the consecutive third time with a huge margin. The league has become a cakewalk for a star studded team like PSG and they aim for a bigger glory this time. With Ligue 1 already in the pocket and just a game away from the league cup glory PSG will divert their complete focus on the Champions league. PSG will host English giants Manchester City in the first leg of the last eight knockout stages. Man City are struggling with results as they qualified to the last eight after a goalless draw at home to Dynamo Kiev. Man City suffered another major blow as their captain Vincent Kompany is almost out for a month due to calf injury he suffered during the Champions league game which will keep him out for the tie against the Parisians. PSG have an upper hand and are clear favourites to go through to the semi finals.
PSG’s signing of Champions league winner Angel di Maria in the summer had made their intentions clear of becoming heavyweights in the biggest club competition. The Argentine alongside Cavani and Lucas Moura have surfaced a deadly partnership amongst them as the South Americans are powering PSG to the glory in all possible way. Angel di Maria became an instant hit in the PSG outfit as the star netted 9 goals and assisted 11 so far in the league. Di Maria also helped the Parisians to march in the last eight as he provided two assists in the last 16 game against Chelsea which saw his side march 4-2 on aggregate. Another South American Edison Cavani has fired all the important goals for the club as he is having an impressive season with 14 goals so far in the league. The Uruguayan is the second top scorer in Ligue 1 after his teammate Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Brazilian defensive trio of Thiago Silva, David Luiz and Maxwell have conceded just 15 goals in the season so far. This shows PSG are a well balanced team with their defence as strong as their attack.
Apart from PSG’s star studded attack and defense, the midfield trio of Matuidi, Motta and Verratti have guided the Parisians to the desired results. The trio established a strong link up between the defence and the attack.
Blaise Matuidi has emerged as a strong and one of the most important player in the PSG squad, his tireless work at both the ends and energy he puts in the play has made him an integral part of the team. Matuidi’s box to box qualities have cemented his position in the starting line up in the recent years for both club and his country. With the always running attribute Matuidi also offers a lot on the attacking aspect of the game, he usually likes to link up with the left sided players like Maxwell, Moura and Cavani. With his energy and power Matuidi is a reliable midfielder for PSG.
Apart from Matuidi the French club also have Marco Verratti who is known for his great range of passing. Unlike Matuidi, Verratti sits in the deeper role and provides excellent passes to create chances for his teammates. PSG counts on his quick passing ability as he can change the tempo of the game with a single pass.
The third and the backbone of the midfield trio is Thiago Motta, he plays the deepest role in the midfield behind Matuidi and Verratti. Motta’s position can be also called as third centre back as he sits between the heart of defence and the midfield players. His position allows the full backs to take a run in the wings and exploit the spaces in the opposition’s half and provide a more attacking threat. Apart from this Motta also brings a lot of experience with him as he has won the competition twice with Barcelona and Inter Milan.
Leadership is one of the most important aspect of the game, every team needs a leader who will motivate and guide the youngsters to play in a certain way. PSG are having a abundance of leaders in every department.
Up front- Zlatan Ibrahimovic does the talking with his goal scoring attributes and inspires his co-workers to have an eye for a goal like him. He is a true leader for attacking players with the attitude and goal scoring quality he posses.
In the middle- Thiago Motta’s experience and double Champions league success is more than enough for the midfield players to draw an inspiration from. Apart from the defensive duties, Motta’s vocal presence on the pitch also constantly motivates the younger players around him.
At the defence- It is advantageous for the Parisians to have a strong defensive leader Thiago Silva, He is one of the finest leaders in the football world, The Brazilian commands his team with his strong presence on the ball and consistency in performance.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic is a kind of player which every team desires to have, his presence on the field itself is a morale booster for the Parisians, Zlatan’s dominating attitude and acrobatic goal scoring style has made him one of the best strikers of his generation. He is a threat to the defence of any side PSG faces. The 34 year old Swedish international has scored 27 goals so far in Ligue 1 and provided 11 assists. Ibrahimovic also provided an assist to Rabiot’s goal and scored the winner in the Champions league clash against Chelsea which saw his team advancing to the last eight. Zlatan’s top form will be crucial for PSG to claim the biggest club tournament.
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