The resurgence of Edinson Cavani: The man PSG need to be at their best if they are to beat Barcelona

Tasked with replacing Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Cavani is having one of the finest seasons of his career

Cavani is currently enjoying one of the finest seasons of his career (AFP/Getty Images)

In August, immediately after Paris Saint-Germain had brushed aside FC Metz 3-0 in their first home game of the new season, a short highlights reel clipped from the match began to go viral. But it didn’t include Lucas Moura’s thumping finish to open the scoring, or Marco Verratti's fortunate deflected effort, or even Kevin Trapp’s string of impressive second-half saves.

Instead, the two minute long video featured €130k-a-week striker Edinson Cavani in criminally profligate form. Missing a series of simple opportunities in increasingly hapless fashion, the now infamous clip concludes with Cavani failing to beat the offside trap and then spurning the subsequent one-on-one anyway, as the jeers of the home support intensify.

It didn’t take long for the 29-year old to find himself castigated on social media. His name was soon trending on Twitter, while on Reddit the clip attracted 5,291 up-votes and just over 1,000 comments. And it was quickly watched over 25,000 times on YouTube: “Holy ****, how many chances does this guy need?” one commenter wondered aloud.

With the transfer window not yet closed, Cavani’s future at the club appeared bleak. Signed in 2013 from Napoli for €64 million — the sixth largest transfer in history at the time — the striker had never looked particularly at home at the Parc des Princes, playing second-fiddle to Zlatan Ibrahimović out wide and struggling to match the destructive impact he had made in Italy. Rumours of a move away from the club appeared to dog him from day one.

Ibrahimović’s summer move to Manchester United finally freed up that central striking role he had long craved. And yet there remained a suspicion Cavani was ultimately unsuited to the role, with his stint leading the line for Uruguay in the absence of the suspended Luis Suarez still fresh in the mind. The statistics are as damning as they are unequivocal: 12 games as Uruguay's leading man until Suarez's return against Brazil in 2016, and just three goals scored from open play.

His performance against Metz — “Cavani did not come up with a convincing answer that he is the man to replace Ibra,” sniffed L’Equipe the next morning — proceeded to raise more questions than it provided answers. As did a decidedly erratic performance at home to Arsenal in the Champions League, during which he scored in the first minute only to go on to miss four clear chances.

Once again, videos cataloguing his unfortunate comedy of errors flooded social media. And once again, his future in Paris was plunged into fresh doubt.

But some six months later, as PSG finalise preparations for the first-leg of their Champions League Round of 16 match against Barcelona, the only Cavani videos being circulated are those featuring a selection some of the terrific goals he has gone on to score this season. There’s a healthy selection to choose from. He has scored 33 goals in just 31 matches, the most recent a sublime volley from 25-yards in another routine 3-0 victory, this time over Bordeaux.

Even for a player grown used to confounding his critics, it represents quite the transformation. Moved into the coveted number 9 role in the absence of Ibrahimović, Cavani has flourished, providing the central thrust in an attacking triumvirate also comprising Lucas and Angel di Maria. Against Bordeaux, he scored his 77th and 78th goals for the club, moving him ahead of club legend Pauleta on PSG’s list of record goal-scorers.

So impressed has head coach Unai Emery been with his form that he has even raised the possibility of Cavani surpassing Ibrahimović’s all-time club scoring record, of 156. “I want him to beat (Ibrahimović’s) record,” he said recently. "He wants to and the fans hope he does too. He is feeling confident and in form. If he gets there, then it will be because he has worked for it."

While such a suggestion would have seemed laughable at the start of the season, Cavani’s vastly improved form means he is now only 42 goals short of the mercurial Swede. And the wide variety of goals Cavani has scored this season — from exquisite volleys, such as the pair he netted against Bordeaux; to composed one-on-one finishes, much like his second goal in the recent win 2-0 win at Nantes; to his three headed goals this campaign — have put the record firmly in his sights.

“Cavani’s work rate in recent weeks has been very good,” crowed Emery at the beginning of last month. “He was given the challenge of becoming the offensive focal part of the team (in Ibrahimović’s absence) and he is achieving it.”

Emery has been delighted with the form of his star man (AFP/Getty Images)

Key to Cavani’s success has, naturally, been the change in position. Not only has his record in front of goal improved exponentially — he has scored 19 more goals than at this point last season — his influence on games has also grown, with the chances he has created per 90 minutes, as well as the number of shots he has had on goal, increasing accordingly.

And while PSG have struggled to hit the heights of last season, as they learn to adjust to life under a new head coach as well as the emergence of a revitalised Monaco and a resilient OGC Nice, the growing maturity of Cavani in the number 9 role has at least kept them in contention (just three points off top spot) and safely into the knockout stages of the Champions League.

The creativity that surrounds Cavani at PSG has also been important in his improvement. For while the striker may have proved he can match Ibrahimović’s performance in front of goal, he will never match the Swede’s all-round impact: last year Ibrahimović provided 13 assists, Cavani currently has none. So he has required players like Di Maria (6), Verratti (3) and Serge Aurier (3) to deliver in the assists stakes.

Cavani will be hoping for a happy birthday against Barcelona (Getty Images)

Cavani touched upon both themes — his maturity and selfless play behind behind him — on Monday morning, in PSG’s pre-match press conference. "This is a special moment for me, an important period of my career,” he said.

“My goals are the result of the work of my team-mates and I will keep doing my best so that everything continues to work like it is. That's how I can help support my teammates. There have been many changes this season. We all know we needed a period of adaptation and, at the moment, things are working our way.”

One more thing. As just about every journalist in attendance at the PSG pre-match press conference was all too willing to remind Cavani, the day of the home tie against Barcelona is his 30th birthday. “For me, the best birthday present I could hope for is that the team gets a good result,” he beamed back when asked what present he was most hoping for. “We work hard every day with a great attitude, and if we win only my birthday, that would be absolutely perfect.”