Javier Pastore's Return to Fitness Will Give PSG a Much-Needed Creative Boost

For the past few weeks, Javier Pastore has been kept out of the Paris Saint-Germain squad by conjunctivitis and then a calf problem.

The Argentina international succumbed to the eye infection on the day of the French champions’ 4-1 home win over AS Saint-Etienne, but then picked up the calf issue just after returning to training ahead of the 5-0 thrashing of Toulouse just before the international break.

Victor R. Caivano/Associated Press

Despite the knock, Pastore travelled to South America to link up with the Albiceleste squad for their 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Brazil and Colombia. However, once he was assessed by the Argentina medical staff, the 26-year-old was released from duty, per Goal’s Daniel Edwards.

By travelling to Buenos Aires for the Brazil clash, Pastore was away from Paris during Friday’s horrific attacks in which two of his friends were among the victims, as the player told Teleocho (h/t Goal’s Joe Wright).

Although the former Palermo man is now back in the French capital, he is sure to be understandably shaken up by the news. He will not be the only one; goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu also expressed his grief to RAI (h/t ESPN FC’s Ben Gladwell).

Jean Catuffe/Getty Images

Between his lingering calf problem and emotional turmoil, it is unclear whether Pastore will return to action with PSG away at FC Lorient on Saturday. In any case, he cannot be too far off making a return to Laurent Blanc’s starting XI now.

It is perhaps more likely he will make his comeback away at Malmo FF in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday, but regardless of which match he actually features in for the first time since his fitness issues, he will be returning at the right time for Les Parisiens.

KENZO TRIBOUILLARD/Getty Images

With Edinson Cavani struggling for form, there is potentially a place in Blanc’s starting XI that can be considered available. Lucas Moura is making a good case to be preferred to El Matador—at least for a few games—but Pastore could also replace the misfiring Uruguay international.

If fit, El Flaco has equally strong claims to be a starter, and his inclusion would give PSG the creativity they have lacked at times so far this season.

Pastore was supposed to start ahead of Cavani against Saint-Etienne back in October, but the former went down with conjunctivitis and the latter played instead. The Uruguayan scored one goal and assisted another against Les Verts, which gave him a stay of execution.

However, after ineffectual outings in the 1-0 defeat away at Real Madrid and the 5-0 demolition of Toulouse at home, it might be time for Blanc to withdraw Cavani from the starting XI for a couple of games.

Jean Catuffe/Getty Images

Had Pastore not fallen foul of illness before Saint-Etienne’s visit, PSG’s recent results might have looked a little different.

The French champions would not have struggled for creativity in their 1-0 win away at Stade Rennais if the cultured playmaker had been available. They might also have found the missing cutting edge in their loss at the Santiago Bernabeu had he been able to feature.

With Pastore on the pitch instead of the Uruguayan, there is no guarantee the former would have taken the golden chance that was spurned by the latter.

However, Les Parisiens would almost certainly have created even more opportunities and perhaps fashioned at least one that would have been taken.

Instead, PSG have soldiered on without Pastore but missed his intricacy at times. Once fit, Blanc must restore the Argentinian to the starting XI—whether in central midfield or part of the front three—because the team needs the invention he provides on a regular basis.