In-Form Cavani's 1st PSG Treble Crushes Guingamp with Ligue 1 Title in Reach

Paris Saint-Germain opened up a provisional six-point lead at the top of Ligue 1 with a 6-0 thrashing of EA Guingamp at Parc des Princes on Friday.

Forward Edinson Cavani scored his first hat-trick since arriving in the French capital, while Zlatan Ibrahimovic helped himself to a brace. Even defender Maxwell got in on the act.

For the second time in three home games in Le Championnat, Laurent Blanc’s men have hit their opponents for six. Since exiting the UEFA Champions League 5-1 on aggregate to Barcelona, Les Parisiens have been nothing short of insatiable in the league.

Le President was absolutely delighted with his players when he spoke with PSG.fr after the final whistle.

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It was a great performance tonight, and it's very pleasing to score six goals, but also to have kept a clean sheet. I think over the last ten matches, we have rediscovered an incredible standard, especially physically. The players have stepped up to the plate in this final sprint finish. It all bodes well, including our positive goal difference over Lyon; it was a really great night.

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Midfielder Marco Verratti and Ibrahimovic both had strong cases to be named man of the match, but Cavani was the one walking away with the match ball after netting his maiden treble since arriving in Paris.

What a time to be demonstrating his prolific form of old, too.

Francois Mori/Associated Press

As the subject of constant transfer speculation with the summer fast approaching, the Uruguayan gave himself further ammunition with which to arm himself before sitting down to discuss his future with the PSG hierarchy this summer.

If he remains in France, then there is a growing argument to say Cavani is finally ready to both coexist alongside the dominant Ibrahimovic and also fill his boots when the Swede is unavailable.

El Matador’s first goal on Friday was a well-taken finish from a Serge Aurier cross inside of two minutes. The 28-year-old then doubled his tally six minutes into the second half, receiving an excellent pass from strike partner Ibrahimovic before slamming the ball past Jonas Lossl.

Cavani saved the best for last, though.

Some brilliant vision from the superlative Verratti spotted the South American, and the Italian found his target with a quickly taken, lofted free-kick, which the PSG No. 9 stroked into the net on the volley.

Thibault Camus/Associated Press

It was a confident performance from Cavani and the best example yet of he and Ibrahimovic being able to function efficiently together in the same team. The pair linked up well and there was none of the icy behaviour towards each other that we have seen at times this season.

Thibault Camus/Associated Press

The fact that Ibrahimovic scored twice himself will have helped his mood. Sixteen minutes after Cavani gave PSG the lead, Zlatan doubled the hosts’ advantage with an excellent finish.

Verratti found Cavani before receiving the ball back. After some hesitation, the pint-sized Italian located Ibrahimovic and the Swede did the rest. Putting the ball on to his left foot, the 33-year-old fired clinically into the roof of the net.

The PSG No. 10 then doubled his tally from the penalty spot after a clumsy foul by Jeremy Sorbon.

Before that, though, Zlatan provided longtime friend and team-mate Maxwell with a simple header by chipping a sublime cross to the back post.

Thibault Camus/Associated Press

His display was a demonstration of the sort of form we have only seen fleetingly from Les Parisiens’ star man this season, suggesting that breaking Pauleta’s all-time record of 109 goals before the end of the campaign is still possible.

Thibault Camus/Associated Press

Ibrahimovic needs three goals to level the Portuguese’s tally, with games against Montpellier HSC, Stade de Reims and AJ Auxerre still to come. Don’t bet against it happening.

More importantly for PSG was the fact that they showed—once again—that they have intensified their focus since crashing out of Europe. Blanc’s men are determined to win an unprecedented French domestic treble and are now potentially just one victory away from doing so.

Olympique Lyonnais are now under pressure to get a result away at Stade Malherbe Caen on Saturday, and anything other than a victory will effectively knock them out of the title race.

Even a simple win might not be enough.

Hubert Fournier’s men have seen PSG obliterate their goal-difference lead, and the defending French champions now enjoy a four-goal cushion on that front. Lyon need a convincing win at Caen in order to take this title race into the final two weeks.

As for Cavani and his Parisien team-mates, they now know they just need to win one more game—possibly two—and a third consecutive Ligue 1 crown is theirs.

Montpellier away next week without the supreme Verratti and the influential Thiago Motta through suspension will be an interesting test of their newfound, prolific form.