SOCCER-FRANCE/PSG PREPS PSG coach Blanc says not sure if Ibrahimovic will play Montpellier match

Record ID: 143334

  • Title: SOCCER-FRANCE/PSG PREPS PSG coach Blanc says not sure if Ibrahimovic will play Montpellier match
  • Date: 20th August 2015
  • Summary: SAINT GERMAIN EN LAYE, FRANCE (AUGUST 20, 2015) (REUTERS) PARIS ST GERMAIN (PSG) COACH ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (French) PSG COACH, LAURENT BLANC, SPEAKING ABOUT ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC, SAYING: "Ibra, as you said, trained yesterday for the first time with the rest of the group. I am afraid it risks being a bit too close. Why? Because he isn't fully competitive, that's a fact. But above all yesterday he took part in the collective training, but as a joker. So there was no direct confrontation against the opponent." CAMERAMAN FILMING (SOUNDBITE) (French) PSG COACH, LAURENT BLANC, SPEAKING ABOUT ANGEL DI MARIA, SAYING: "Yesterday training was very satisfying where he is concerned because he really entered into the game, not just as a joker. So indeed tomorrow we are going to discuss it, but he is very close to a return within the group and within the team. Will it be tomorrow or will it be more certainly against Monaco, you will see it after the training." PSG DEFENDER MAXWELL SCHERRER, AT NEWS CONFERENCE PHOTOGRAPHER (SOUNDBITE) (French) PSG DEFENDER MAXWELL SCHERRER, SAYING: "The game it is always complicated, it is always difficult. Of course the trainings are very intense, everyone plays at the best level he can, and this is to reach quality. But then when we get to the game it is very intense, it is very difficult, it is necessary to play well as a team to win all the games." PSG TEAM TRAINING PLAYERS ANGEL DI MARIA AND ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC TRAINING PSG TEAM TRAINING PLAYER EDINSON CAVANI TRAINING VARIOUS OF TEAM TRAINING DI MARIA TRAINING
  • Embargoed: 4th September 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: France
  • Country: France
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVAAD0GKTST8X3XP9141JAMBYES0
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Paris St Germain coach Laurent Blanc said on Thursday (August 20) he wasn't certain Zlatan Ibrahimovic would be part of the squad playing Montpellier at Ligue 1 clash on Friday, even as the Sweden striker is back training with the team after a knee injury.
    "(He) trained yesterday for the first time with the rest of the group. I am afraid it risks being a bit too close because he isn't fully competitive, that's a fact. But above all yesterday he took part in the collective training, but as a joker. So there was no direct confrontation against the opponent," Blanc told a news conference.
    If Ibrahimovic misses the match against Montpellier, Uruguay Edinson Cavani will fill in.
    Blanc said the club's latest star addition, Argentina winger Angel Di Maria, had also been training with the team and would decide after the day's preparations whether he would play in the next match or the subsequent one against Monaco.
    "Yesterday training was very satisfying where he (Angel Di Maria) is concerned because he really entered into the game, not just as a joker. So indeed tomorrow we are going to discuss it, but he is very close to a return within the group and within the team. Will it be tomorrow or will it be more certainly against Monaco, you will see it after the training," Blanc said.
    Di Maria joined PSG earlier this month and is expected to play on the left wing but is coming back after a two-month injury layoff.
    As the team geared up on Thursday to take on Montpellier on Friday night, PSG left back Maxwell Scherrer said one could never anticipate how the game would turn out.
    "The game it is always complicated, it is always difficult. Of course the trainings are very intense, everyone plays at the best level he can, and this is to reach quality. But then when we get to the game it is very intense, it is very difficult, it is necessary to play well as a team to win all the games," he said.
    After two matches, PSG top the league on goal difference level with Reims and Caen on six points.
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