Just in time for his reunion with PSG, Cavani is ramping up

Edinson Cavani and Manchester United, a business that works.

Many are those who doubted the merits of the recruitment of the 33-year-old Uruguayan international, left free by PSG and who came out of several physical glitches.

Especially since the Red Devils had no shortage of options in front, with Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood, not to mention Jesse Lingard and other Odion Ighalo.

Signed at the very end of the transfer window (October 5), Cavani first had to get back in shape, he who had not played in an official match since… March 11 with PSG.

Add to that the discovery of a new club, a new championship and the language barrier, and we can easily understand why the Matador's debut in Mancun was not flamboyant.

And the skeptics were therefore able to have fun at the start of the season.

"

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Edinson Cavani, it's 200 goals with PSGPanoramic

They are at their cost after the performance of the Celeste striker in Southampton on Sunday.

Entered early in the second half, when the Red Devils were down 2-0, Cavani split two goals and an assist (for Bruno Fernandes) to reverse the trend (3-2 victory).

Already scorer on the Everton field in early November (3-1 victory) and holder for the first time against Istanbul Basaksehir last week in the Champions League (4-1 victory), the former Naples scorer is gaining momentum.

The press is unanimous

Comments are now unanimous across the Channel.

“People doubted his hunger and his envy.

We saw proof of that today (Sunday).

He could be a huge signing for Manchester ”, ignites the former captain of MU Roy Kean, at the microphone of

, he who often has a hard tooth.

“Cavani is starting to show why he can be the rookie of the season.

And after his superb performance against Southampton, it would be remiss if United restricted him to a supporting role for his young Holy Trinity (Martial, Rashford, Greenwood) ”, we can read in the

, when the

notes that the questions about Cavani "have been answered.

He could be what United needed. ”

"This is not the first time United have used an aging icon to bolster their attack, and the Uruguayan appears to be heading in the same direction as Henrik Larsson and Zlatan Ibrahimovic by posing a real threat," wrote the

. 

Flattering comparisons, while we were wondering so far rather if Cavani was not going to follow in the footsteps of offensive flops Romelu Lukaku, Radamel Falcao, Angel Di Maria and Alexis Sanchez.

And as Martial is not working on the water at the moment, to put it mildly (2 goals in 9 matches), he is in fact a real option.

From this Wednesday (9 p.m.), at Old Trafford, against Paris Saint-Germain?

Perhaps.

Edinson Cavani has only started one game for MU so far

Remember that Cavani, too fair, had not played during the victory of MU in Paris (1-2), in the first leg.

“He's ready to play.

Obviously, it's special for him to play against PSG, his former club, of which he is the top scorer (200 goals, note), recognizes Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

This cannot be trivial in his mental approach.

But, as I know him, it will give him energy.

He is very professional, experienced, he will work on his state of mind today and tomorrow in order to be ready for the match.

And the same goes for AF.

He learned a lesson. ”

Controversy

The FA?

The English authorities looked into the Cavani file after the publication of a message that caused controversy on social networks.

He used the word “negrito” (little black guy), and it was taken for racism.

Obviously, it was without thinking badly.

The player apologized.

The club too.

A suspension could still fall. "We can think that it could affect him.

But he just has to work and put that aside during the game.

The best players can put problems aside and perform, ”swears Solskjaer.   

"He reminds me of Andy Cole"

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on Edinson Cavani

Parisians have been warned.

But they have nothing to learn from Cavani.

“He was decisive against Southampton, he showed his quality, his heart, his determination, agrees Thomas Tuchel.

It's not a surprise, we know him well, we will have to find solutions to him. "  

Mancuniens, them, are still discovering it.

And they are already seduced, like Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who highlights his qualities of "predator" in front of goal and evokes a "world-class player".

"He reminds me of Andy (Cole) by his movements in the box, he is so sharp, intelligent, with a great sense of timing," added the former "Supersub" of Sir Alex Ferguson on Sunday, after Southampton.

And to add: “It is important to have an attachment point in the surface.

We didn't really have that profile since Lukaku left. ”

" 

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Donny van de Beek, him, underlines the "spaces" created by the presence of the South American striker, "because the defenders always follow him closely", while his coach insists, in a press conference, on his "ability to working for the team and being a team player.

If you look at the mileage figures in matches, he is already among the best forwards in the Premier League.

And at 33, that says it all about his mentality. "

A gift of self that coach Tuchel has often congratulated: “This determination is a rare characteristic for a striker of his quality ... He is always ready to do anything for the team, he has a big impact on the physical level.

Scoring is natural for him.

You can count on him 24 hours a day, you can call him in the middle of the night and he will be there to score, to defend ... I am personally happy that he was able to show all of this to the MU fans against Southampton.

He doesn't need to show it in front of us, we already know about it (smile). ”

Viking, crampons and parking

Edinson Cavani has scored three goals with MUPanoramic

In 2019, Solskjaer called Cavani a “Viking”, a “warrior”.

He persists and signs.

“I don't know him very well yet because of the language barrier, but he's very professional, very meticulous.

Everything he does, he does with the intention of being the best player he can be, he says.

He's a very good teammate, a team player.

I was impressed with his dedication to detail.

Apart from his way of parking his car, he parks too close to other players and technical staff sometimes (smile). "

And to continue, in the form of a joke: "He has already learned two words in English:" tomorrow "and" off ".

When you win a game, he wants a day off (laughs). ”

In the same vein, the former Norwegian international striker notes, always with a smile, that he did not appreciate much to see Cavani put long seconds before being ready to enter the game on Sunday, at the start of the second period.

“I always had my laces made, with the right crampons on my feet (when I was playing), he laughs.

He made us wait a little too long for my taste. ”

It was worth the wait ...

Qualifying ball for MU, day of revenge for Cavani?

One thing is certain: Paris will have to be wary of its former scorer on Wednesday.

Especially since the club in the capital is regularly punished by its exes at the moment (Coman, Nkunku, Adli…).

It will be one of the biggest dangers on United's side.

Not the only one… For the Parisians, their backs to the wall and not reassuring on Saturday against Bordeaux (2-2), the objective is clear: victory to remain master of their destiny.

A new final, a week after the difficult success against Leipzig (1-0).

For the Mancuniens, leaders of this group H (the rankings here), it's a qualifying ball.

And for Cavani, a great opportunity to show Leonardo that he still has some fine remains and that he could still have rendered services in Paris ...  

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