Paris (AFP)

More than ever top scorer in the history of Paris SG, but more than ever on the start. Edinson Cavani, at the end of the contract in June and in total lack of playing time, has been living in the last gloomy months in the capital.

Now a replacement in Paris, the almost 33-year-old striker may have ticked off Sunday's game (8:55 pm) in Lorient in the Coupe de France to increase his playing time. Las, the Uruguayan was forfeited by the coach Thomas Tuchel due to a "small injury" to the pelvis.

Idol of the Parc des princes, the former Napoli will have to work his brakes before reaching the 200 goal mark in the Paris jersey, he who is two units away. If he ever succeeds ...

Tuchel has indeed preferred since September the very efficient Mauro Icardi at the head at the expense of the best goalscorer in the history of PSG, the latter having to be content with a few minutes per match in Ligue 1. And finding the nets only during "little "duels, against Linas-Montléhry fans (doubled) at the start of January in the Cup and in an opposition without stake against Galatasaray a month earlier in the Champions League.

Five months from the end of his contract, the "Matador" has still not extended. Several media, in Italy, France and Spain, recently mentioned an agreement between the player and Atlético Madrid for a free arrival this summer at the Colchoneros. The team even ensures that the Madrid club would try as best they can to snatch "Edi" from the winter transfer period, open until January 31.

- "Always our + Matador +" -

"A team like PSG, which has big goals, must keep + Edi +, because it is still our + Matador +, an incredible player," tried to insist captain Thiago Silva on Wednesday. "Unfortunately, he is coming back from a very important injury, he is losing confidence a little. But we, the group, the staff, we still trust this boy and I hope he will stay until the end" .

Tuchel, like sports director Leonardo, said there was no question of the star going away in mid-season. "We don't like to change too much during the winter because it's not the + monopoly + here," said the German in early 2020, inviting Cavani to "fight for his place". But he always refused to position himself on a possible extension of a player adulated at the Park.

Even when the latter, captain for an evening against Linas-Montlhéry, scored twice, Tuchel weighed his words, without getting carried away, to describe the attacker's performance. "He scored two goals, I'm very happy for him, but that was also what our attacking players were asked against a sixth division team," he said calmly, before placing the Uruguayan on the substitutes' bench for the next two matches.

- Regular training -

For the third, Wednesday in Monaco (4-1), Cavani was not even summoned, the club evoking a physical glitch in the groin, despite the presence of the player in training the day before the match. What some media did not hesitate to call a "diplomatic" injury when, according to them, representatives of Atlético were visiting Paris.

For its part, Leonardo did not give any official indication on the direction that this file would take, being limited to a very measured intervention in November. "There should be no doubt, nor give a contract because they have done a lot for the club," he said about Cavani, but also Thiago Silva, also at the end of the contract.

Cavani has been very discreet since the start of the season, first focusing on his recovery from a hip injury contracted in late August, then appearing diligent and smiling in training. But never before the press.

Smiling, Cavani would be much more so with a total of minutes on the upper counter. For this, he will still have to wait.

© 2020 AFP