The first arrived on November 22, 2017. More than four years after the recruitment of Edinson Cavani for 64 million euros. First shy, then much more expressive. First in the single Auteuil bend, then in all the stands in the Parc des Princes.
We mention here the songs to the glory of the Matador, author of a double in the Champions League against Celtic Glasgow (7-1). On several occasions, to the tune of “Demons de miduit”, the hit of the group Images, they will resonate during this somewhat magical European evening. The first step in a swing towards the construction of the Edinson Cavani myth, who will become a few months later the top scorer in the history of this club.
It's a novelty tonight, a new song for THE PSG warrior, @ECavaniOfficial! 🔥🔥🔥 #PSGCEL pic.twitter.com/r4yrshVMDT
- Ambre Godillon (@AmbreGodillon) November 22, 2017Here we are at the end of February 2020 and the real passion that unites Edi, the author of his 200th Parisian goal this Sunday, and the stadium in western Paris almost came to an abrupt end. After a month of negotiations and real desires elsewhere, the Matador finally stayed. The audience instantly forgave him for his procrastination. And gave him a long ovation Sunday February 9 when he scored the 4-2 goal against Lyon. Its 199th…
The ultras, who built a separate story with him, however, had not planned a banner, some comparing his behavior to that of Neymar last summer. Regardless, the crowd was too relieved to still enjoy "his" darling, she sang his hymn several times, upon entering and on his victorious recovery of the right foot in the 79th minute.
“Few players wet the jersey as Cavani does, smiles Abdel, a supporter ready to pass the sponge. We can say what we want, but he gives himself thoroughly, on the ground, he's a dog, he never lets go. It would be nice if PSG were grateful to him. "
A transfer to 64 million euros, a record at the time
The passions aroused by the latest events say a lot about the special status enjoyed by the attacker in his Parisian garden. Would they have been similar a few years back? Certainly not. As the main stakeholder summed up in an interview last summer: “Real relationships are those that grow over time. There is only time that brings you the knowledge of the other ».
And it is an understatement to say that the time has been long for Cavani in Paris. In the summer of 2013, he was still the idol of another stadium in Europe: the dilapidated, but mythical San Paolo in Naples. PSG are interested in their profile and their slew of goals (104 in 138 games) to form a dream attack with Zlatan Ibrahimovic and "Pocho" Lavezzi.
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For 64 million euros (M €), the price of the clause set by Naples, Cavani joined Paris, despite the departures of Carlo Ancelotti (replaced by Laurent Blanc) and Leonardo, who signed his last recruit (before his back last summer). “He really wanted to come to Paris, when big clubs coveted him. He believes in PSG, he believes in the project, "said President Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, very proud of this brilliant recruit.
"Its not always easy…"
But this first season in France will prove to be difficult for Cavani, a great loner at heart. His relative technical mastery contrasts with that of the giant (by size, talent and communication) Ibrahimovic. As for his relationship with Blanc, it crumbles over the tenure of the Uruguayan on the right or left side in the efficient system in 4-3-3 chosen by the French world champion.
A frustration that he exposes to the world, April 1, 2014 in an interview with L'Équipe. "It's not always easy," says Cavani on the eve of the Champions League quarter-final first leg against Chelsea. For an attacker used to concluding actions, used to scoring, and who, today, has to accomplish other tasks, no, it's not easy, it's true ”.
The system in 4-4-2, mentioned by Laurent Blanc and that he will never see coming? He experienced it as a betrayal. “It was my vision of the team when I arrived. This is one of the arguments that motivated me to come to this club. But hey… let's finish the championship and we'll see then ”.
The Parisian public did not like the public outing. In front of the cameras present at the Camp des Loges for the training of the day, Nasser Al-Khelaïfi comes to address the Uruguayan. As for the Parc des Princes, it will have no particular reaction after Cavani's words, preferring to live fully the almost perfect performance of his team against the Blues of Mourinho (3-1).
Finally, for Laurent Blanc, as he will regularly repeat, the Uruguayan position on the ground is a "false debate": "Edi, we know him, he will always score goals". The discomfort will however last a few more months, even if Cavani will not carry out any other interview of this kind. Statistically erased by Ibrahimovic, the striker also knows that he is in a club capable of winning the Champions League and that his salary (850,000 € gross monthly at the time) is significant. Two arguments that help to sacrifice.
The arrival of ultras, the seesaw
The rocking of the tortured relationship between Cavani and PSG takes place between summer and autumn 2016, after the departure of the Swede, then top scorer in club history with 156 achievements, when the Uruguayan counts "only »81 units. The native of Salto is called to become caliph instead of caliph, to find a real role of number 9. But on August 21, during a victory against Metz (3-0), Cavani misses out, missing the unmissable and attracting the whistles of the Parc des Princes.
"I hope to improve," he replied modestly in the mixed zone, without targeting Parisian fans. "The public is demanding with him, but it's good," said Unai Emery, a new red and blue coach. The press also: "Can PSG be satisfied with Cavani? », We will headline two days after this meeting. So many elements that boosted the attacker.
Above all, Cavani will find significant support: the ultras. Absent from the Park since 2010, they make their comeback, under the acronym of the Collectif Ultras Paris (CUP), in October 2016, evening of a success against Bordeaux (2-0) offered by… a double of the future darling. Together, ultras and Cavani have one thing in common: the patience required all these years before, finally, the days of glory. This 2016-2017 season is exceptional for the five-time champion of France: 49 goals in 50 games. Statistics worthy of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi or ... Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
"I am very proud of this relationship with the supporters"
Far beyond the goals, decisive in many finals and sometimes sublime despite a supposedly inferior technique, the image of Cavani contrasts greatly with that of the players mentioned above. Lover of nature, endowed with a sense of sacrifice on the ground, he does not play the stars. He concentrated on his public appearances, busy celebrating victories with the CUP, even seizing the flag drawn with his effigy.
Cavani who takes the PSG flag to celebrate the title of champion of France at the Parc pic.twitter.com/wPNbWbcSIu
- Adrien Chantegrelet (@Adrientp) April 15, 2018And it is with this image that the passionate history with the Parc des Princes is definitively sealed over the months that follow the arrival of the whimsical Neymar, in August 2017. "It is the opposite of the Brazilian, we already entrusted the actor François Berléand, famous fan of the club. He does everything he is asked to: attack, defend, and say nothing. He's a star, but he doesn't play his star. He is a model teammate. If I were the coach of PSG, I would also make him my captain because he leads by example ”.
As if, in the end, his voluntary delays in resuming training in January 2015 or January 2018 did not count. With his goals and his sense of sacrifice, Cavani bought himself an immunity that Neymar ended up feeding. Like this evening of PSG-Dijon (8-0), where he prefers to offer himself a quadruple on penalty rather than giving the ball to his teammate, close to becoming top scorer in the history of PSG.
“This relationship that we have built with the supporters has grown over time, with good and less good experiences. But they understood that I always kept the same mentality. I'm very proud of it, ”Cavani assured us last summer, adding that he wanted to“ finish his contract ”in Paris.
Farewell to the public set for May 16?
It was not quite the plan a month ago, but the demands of Leonardo and the throes of the transfer market offered this outcome to the player and his fans. For his return, the Uruguayan who has never shown his desire to leave publicly has as usual treated his relationship with his audience. He was the first to receive the final whistle on Sunday, February 9.
"As long as he scores his 200th goal quickly to turn the page," even slipped a member of the Collectif Ultras Paris, while the counter remained blocked at 199 units. It is now done from Bordeaux. “Since the takeover of the club by Qatar, no player will have marked the club like him. No one comes close to him, ”concludes Ahmed, a subscriber to the Park, who would like to mourn his departure as he did for Rai or Pauleta.
He can already block the date of May 16, 2020, during PSG-Rennes, for a farewell worthy of the name. Worthy of seven magic letters: Matador.
