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Wantaway forward Edinson Cavani completed the scoring in Paris Saint-Germain’s victory over Lyon on Sunday.
Paris Saint-Germain head coach Thomas Tuchel said Edinson Cavani is more focused following a failed move away from the French champions during the January transfer window.
Cavani – out of contract at season’s end – was tipped to leave PSG last month but a proposed transfer to La Liga outfit Atletico Madrid did not materialise.
With an exit on hold until at least the end of the campaign, Cavani came off the bench and scored within three minutes of his introduction as PSG beat Ligue 1 rivals Lyon 4-2 on Sunday.
“Whenever there’s competition it’s good. We need all the players. I’ve always said that,” Tuchel told reporters.
“You can feel that Edi [Cavani] is stronger in training at the moment because things are clear after the mercato. It’s been like that for a few days now.
“He made a very good entrance [in the game], he put in a very important goal. It’s good for him and for us. Because we need all the players with experience and quality like Edi. That’s necessary. They are in good shape and that’s good.”
Cavani – PSG’s all-time leading scorer – netted his third Ligue 1 goal of the season but first since August, while the Uruguay international forward has six across all competitions.
After scoring that goal, Cavani was quick to celebrate with long-time team-mate Marco Verratti, who backed the Uruguyan star to be a key figure for the club going forward.
“He is still training with the smile on, he’s still in the group,” the Italian said. “Always 100%. That’s why his goal makes us happy. In a team like that, there may be times when you’re not a permanent starter. You have to have confidence in him.”
PSG are set to face a difficult test in the Champions League as the Ligue 1 side will take on Borussia Dortmund in the round of 16.
And, with the transfer window behind them, Verratti thinks he and his team-mates are ready for the challenge.
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He said: “Dortmund, of course we are ready. We still have time. There are still matches left. We are coming well, after that it will be a complicated match, certainly. It will be a knockout round of the Champions League in a difficult stadium.
“We will do everything to win. I have a lot of confidence in this team. That does not mean that we are sure to win the Champions League, but we have a great team.
“I don’t see other teams that are really better than us, even if the Champions League is always special matches. We are solid, we must have confidence in ourselves “
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