- Title: SOCCER-FRANCE/PSG PSG prepare to face Gazelec Ajaccio
- Date: 15th August 2015
- Summary: SAINT GERMAIN EN LAYE, FRANCE (AUGUST 15, 2015) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN PLAYERS TRAINING PSG PLAYERS, INCLUDING URUGUAYAN STRIKER EDINSON CAVANI AND ARGENTINA FORWARD EZEQUIEL LAVEZZI TRAINING PSG PLAYERS TRAINING PSG COACH LAURENT BLANC LOOKING ON BLANC ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (French) PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN COACH, LAURENT BLANC, SAYING: "Zl
- Embargoed: 30th August 2015 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: France
- Country: France
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA5HBR355P4JTTZJ4AX6C3309GQ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Paris Saint-Germain will once again be without talismanic Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic in their Ligue 1 clash with Gazelec Ajaccio on Sunday (August 16).
PSG coach Laurent Blanc said on Saturday (August 15) that Ibrahimovic, who also missed the team's first match of the season against Lille due to a knee injury, was recovering well and hoped he would be back with the team next week.
"Zlatan (Ibrahimovic) is following his medical programme. He is still going through treatment so he's not 100 percent cured, the progress of his injury is satisfying and reassuring and I think that he's going to finish treatment soon, maybe next week, and I hope he's back among the team," Blanc told a news conference.
PSG's opponents on Sunday, newly-promoted Gazelec Ajaccio, are playing France's top division for the first time in their history.
The team, who hail from the island of Corsica, drew their first match 0-0 with Troyes last weekend, but are expecting a much tougher match against the French champions PSG, who have won the title three years in a row.
Despite the difference between the two teams, Blanc says his players are going into the match like any other game.
"The fact that we want to take three points and want to win is a sign of respect for the opponent. It's been our philosophy for a long time, two and a half years now, even though I think it existed even before. The progress of the match and how it's going to go, no one can say, neither you nor me. We will just play to our strengths," said the former Montpellier, Marseille and Manchester United player.
One player who has featured heavily for Blanch during pre-season is defender Serge Aurier, who says he is happy to be playing soccer and is taking his PSG career one step at a time.
"For the moment, as long as I do good things, I think the staff trusts me when they give me the maximum playing time. Like I said, I'm taking matches as they come and try to be efficient each time I'm called upon," he said.
The French champions added significant weight to their attacking options with the signing of Argentina winger Angel Di Marie from Manchester United earlier this month. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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