Can Angel Di Maria Resurrect His Career at PSG Under Laurent Blanc?

Walking out onto the Parc des Princes pitch before Paris Saint-Germain’s 2-0 win over Malmo, Angel Di Maria may have been nervous to restart his Champions League career, but he quickly wiped away any cobwebs that may have lingered.

His last game in the competition had come 16 months previously, just the small matter of the Champions League final in the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon.

Playing in the stadium where his European career started, against Real Madrid’s city rivals Atletico—it doesn’t get much bigger, but that didn’t stop the nerves building before Tuesday night.

"It was tough for me last season as I didn't play much and it was difficult watching the Champions League on TV after I had won it the season before with Madrid," the Argentine told Le Parisien (h/t Eurosport). "It's a magnificent competition and on Tuesday I will feel the same emotions I've had ever since I played my first [Champions League] match for Benfica."

Real struck late through Sergio Ramos and won the trophy in extra time, and it was Di Maria’s last game for Los Blancos before making the move to Manchester United.

Statistically, his season at Old Trafford was not a disaster—finishing with 10 assists and three goals—but after a bright start, the 27-year-old only managed three assists in his last 10 appearances.

Francois Mori/Associated Press/Associated Press

It seems that it wasn’t just on-field issues that caused his poor performances, with troubles at home and off the field disrupting his life.

This was made worse in February when his Cheshire mansion was attacked by raiders, smashing their way in via the back door using scaffold poles—it was then the former Benfica man, with his family unsettled, knew he couldn’t stay in Manchester.

"After the break-in it wasn't reasonable to stay. My family wasn't happy, my daughter was suffering, so it was important to leave," he continued to tell Le Parisien.

"

Honestly, we were not happy. At the beginning, we were a little happy but then things got complicated. Life in England was difficult and it isn't easy for a South American. Some people adapt, but for others it is harder.

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When your personal life is suffering, the last thing you also want is problems at your job, and it seems his relationship with Louis van Gaal was another huge reason in the playmaker leaving the Premier League.

"I didn't get on very well with the coach," he said. "So I believe the decision to join Paris was the best solution."

Di Maria finally completed his £44.3 million move to PSG in August, per Sky Sports; it had been 12 months in the making for the French club. Laurent Blanc finally had his man and it then became time for the player to rebuild his career in the capital.

"From what I've seen so far, our life here in France is more like the life we led in Spain or Portugal. And at the moment, we are 100 per cent satisfied."

The old saying goes, “Form is temporary, class is permanent.” After starring for both Benfica and Real Madrid, the World Cup finalist did not become a poor player overnight, and in his first appearance for PSG, it was clear to see that he would bring a new dimension to their attack.

Lionel Cironneau/Associated Press

Brought off the bench in the 3-0 away win over Monaco, Di Maria’s first pass nearly set up his goal, but it wouldn’t take long for the Latin connection to prove fruitful. His sublime over-the-top pass found fellow Argentine Ezequiel Lavezzi, and the winger would smash home PSG’s third.

Earning his first start in PSG’s 2-2 draw with Bordeaux last Thursday didn’t quite go according to plan. The forwards—despite Edinson Cavani’s two goals—struggled to get into the game and were left frustrated for huge periods.

That would all change on Tuesday.

Just four minutes into the game against Malmo, Marco Verratti lofted a pass out wide to Di Maria, and the Argentina international was allowed time to advance on to the Swedish defence. Failing to put pressure on the forward, he was able to shape the ball on to his left foot and curl it past Johan Wiland.

"I’m very happy with how the match went,” Di Maria told the press after the game. “We delivered the game we had to. The first game is always very important."

Di Maria was involved in most of PSG’s positive play, and when he was replaced by Lavezzi late in the second half, the PSG crowd gave him a huge standing ovation.

Signed before the season began, he had to wait for his debut, working to regain his match fitness, and Blanc commented on Tuesday that he believes that his summer signing is only going to get better, as noted by Soccerway:

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Di Maria is rising to the top. He arrived late to the preparation and he was injured too. I think we were right to put him to work physically and rest him. He will need it. He needs competition right now. He didn't play 90 minutes but you can see his abilities in front of the goal already.

This boy can bring us quality and assists but also a certain number of goals. I talked to him about that. He told me he did not score a lot, but I think he is capable of that.

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During the final quarter of last season, as previously discussed in this column, the majority of PSG’s best football came playing 4-3-1-2, with Blanc finally moving away from his favoured 4-3-3. Javier Pastore flourished playing behind a strike duo, and it also kept Cavani a lot happier in a more central role.

At the start of the summer, signing a player to play 4-3-3 again didn’t look like the best move for the club, but that is nothing against the quality that Di Maria brings to the squad.

His time at Manchester United will be quickly forgotten if he continues to impress at PSG.

Playing Cavani on the left, if the Uruguayan's movement is smart and well timed, will give Di Maria the perfect target for his deadly passes when he cuts inside on his left foot. This will also create space for right-back Serge Aurier bombing down the flank, giving the side much-needed width.

Lionel Cironneau/Associated Press

It will be interesting to see how his relationship with Zlatan Ibrahimovic develops on the pitch. The Swede has a tendency to drop deep and look for the ball. Di Maria won’t make those same forward runs as Cavani, and both will battle for time with the ball at their feet.

Great players always find a way to play together, and individually, they are all wonderful in what they do. Only time will tell if the combination of Ibrahimovic, Cavani and Di Maria will spark success in the Champions League—but Blanc is not without options to mix things up.

Di Maria's career took a bump in Manchester, but with the player happier, and his new coach an obvious fan, the stage is set for the Argentine to flourish this season and forget all about his time in north-west England.