Will Zlatan Ibrahimovic's PSG Return Threaten the Team's Newfound Chemistry?

After almost two months away from the pitch with an injury to his left heel, Paris Saint-Germain’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic made his return to action in the 2-0 win over Olympique de Marseille at the Parc des Princes on Sunday.

The French champions are now just a single point behind Marcelo Bielsa’s men at the Ligue 1 summit, and with their super Swede returning, they will be expected to usurp their bitter rivals before the winter break.

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Despite the obvious boost that Ibrahimovic’s return to action brings, though, the 33-year-old's 25-minute cameo against OM showed that he is not even close to full fitness. PSG’s No. 10 has a long way to go before he is back in optimum condition, but it is safe to assume that he will be back in coach Laurent Blanc’s plans immediately after the current international break.

Ibrahimovic’s return is a big boost for Les Parisiens, especially because they have been lacking his individual brilliance at times. However, it does pose Blanc one or two headaches.

PSG have played seven of their 13 matches in Le Championnat without Zlatan up to this point.

Of those seven games, they have drawn three and won four, while we also should not forget that the talismanic striker only played for 16 minutes against SC Bastia and 25 against Marseille. Both games can feasibly count as victories without Ibrahimovic.

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Bearing that in mind, it is clear that PSG are getting better at playing without their most influential player. Key to that turnaround in form have been three players: Edinson Cavani, Lucas Moura and Javier Pastore.

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Cavani has come to the fore as the central attacking figure in Zlatan’s absence, playing in all but one of the seven league games and three UEFA Champions League outings minus his strike partner.

The Uruguayan has scored five in the 10 games in which he has been the focal point of the PSG attack and also scored one of the two goals required to beat Bastia when Ibrahimovic was substituted early on through injury. Only two of Cavani’s nine goals in all competitions have come with the Swede on the pitch.

Lucas is another player who has benefitted from the extra freedom that Ibrahimovic’s unavailability has granted.

The Brazilian has scored six times in Ligue 1 so far this season, with all of those goals coming when the Swede was not on the pitch. Admittedly, two of those six were penalties, which Ibrahimovic would have taken had he been on the pitch, but Moura’s number of goals scored alone does not quantify his impact.

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Lucas has become more of an attacking threat for PSG without Zlatan because he has been able to play in a more central position, almost as a second striker playing off of Cavani at times.

This deployment has allowed his speed and trickery to come to the fore and also enabled him to forget about providing assists for Ibrahimovic. That was something he did four times out of a total of 10 decisive passes last term.

Pastore has also prospered since the start of the season because Zlatan’s absence means that the cultured playmaker can play in his preferred No. 10 role just behind Cavani and sometimes Lucas.

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This position is Pastore’s natural place on the pitch, and Blanc’s team get so much more out of him when he plays there. However, it is almost impossible to play El Flaco there when Ibrahimovic is fit, because the Scandinavian superstar likes to drop deep and occupy the exact position Pastore likes to play in.

Although the South American’s performances without Zlatan this season do not have the numbers to back up claims that he plays better without him, anybody who watches PSG on a regular basis will be able to see that Pastore is a better player for the capital outfit when he plays in his preferred role.

That only happens when Ibrahimovic is not on the pitch.

Pastore and Cavani will be most threatened by their team-mate’s return to action, while Lucas just needs to work hard to maintain his current form once he inevitably returns to the right side of the attack. The injury keeping him out of the latest Brazil squad is a risk to his momentum, but he should be able to add to his recent string of excellent displays regardless, thanks to the confidence they will have have given him.

The trio have functioned well without Zlatan, but the team has still missed Ibrahimovic's decisive and unique talents on several occasions. One thing is certain, though: Ibrahimovic’s recent absence has done PSG some good long term.

Les Parisiens no longer have to fear the day they can no longer call on Zlatan; Cavani, Lucas and Pastore have proved that there is and will continue to be life after the big man in the French capital.