Paris Saint-Germain's Edinson Cavani left the pitch moments after scoring the only goal in a 1-0 win against Bordeaux on Saturday. An Edinson Cavani injury is the last thing the club needs right now.
PSG travels to England to face Manchester United in first leg of the Champions League Round of 16 on Tuesday.
The French giant will already be without Neymar, who spent his birthday crying over his injured foot that will keep him out for at least a couple months. Marco Verratti is a worry as well, but he returned from an ankle injury by playing 60 minutes against Bordeaux on Saturday. Similarly, Layvin Kurzawa returned to the squad Saturday, though he didn’t play.
With a 10-point lead and two games in hand over second-place Lille, the match against Bordeaux was little more than a glorified training session ahead of the much more important Champions League clash with Manchester United, which has transformed into one of the best teams in England since Ole Gunnar Solsjkær took over for Jose Mourinho.
Thus, PSG coach Thomas Tuchel rested Kylian Mbappé on Saturday, but still played some key players like Cavani, Thiago Silva and Thomas Meunier.
Alas, the decision to play Cavani was both inspired and ill-fated. The Uruguay scored the game's only goal but injured himself in the process.
Muenier drew a penalty kick in the closing minutes of the first half and Cavani stepped up to take it. He sent Benoit Costil the wrong way with a powerful shot in the upper-right corner.
But the goal would be Cavani’s final contribution to the match.
The Uruguayan left the pitch holding his thigh on the stroke of halftime and was replaced by Mbappé to start the second half.
Days before Champions League clash with @ManUtd, Cavani comes off injured after converting a penalty to give @PSG_English the lead over @girondins #PSGFCGB
: beIN SPORTS CONNECT - https://t.co/8Vw2z7cxwS pic.twitter.com/ywz3Pcrvil— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) February 9, 2019
Now PSG fans will nervously await news on Cavani’s fitness for Tuesday’s match at Old Trafford. And Manchester United fans will feel even more bullish about their chances of reaching the quarterfinals.
While many will find it hard to have sympathy for a club like PSG, which has spent absurd amounts of money in search of Champions League glory, it is unfortunate for the neutral fan that this match could be without two of its biggest stars. Cavani and Neymar are two of the three-pronged PSG attack that is one of the most thrilling to watch in the world.
PSG still has good players at its disposal, not the least of which is Mbappé, the world’s most exciting 20-year-old (sorry, Christian Pulisic). Thiago Silva, Gianluigi Buffon, Muenier, Verratti and Dani Alves are all quality, experienced players.
But against a high-flying United, which walloped Fulham 3-0 on Saturday, things aren’t looking food for the Parisians.
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