Angel Di Maria Underlines His and PSG's Champions League Appetite in Malmo Rout

Paris Saint-Germain eased into the latter stages of the UEFA Champions League with a game to spare thank to a comprehensive 5-0 win away at Malmo FF on Wednesday.

An early Adrien Rabiot header set the French champions on their way at Swedbank Stadion before an Angel Di Maria brace and goals from captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Lucas Moura confirmed an impressive result in Sweden.

PSG coach Laurent Blanc was delighted with the performance but also disappointed to have failed to take top spot in Group A ahead of Real Madrid. Le President expressed his satisfaction with his players after the final whistle:

"

We approached this match very responsibly, with the determination necessary to put Malmo in difficulty. In 15 minutes, we managed to kill off the match by scoring two goals. At that moment, our opponents realised it was going to be very difficult to foil our plans.

We've qualified and that's the main thing. We didn't manage to take top spot in the group—even though we did have the means to do so—but we're getting more and more powerful. Tonight's performance was very neat.

"

It was Ibrahimovic’s night in Malmo, returning to face his hometown club for the first time in a competitive match. The 34-year-old was also made captain for the evening at regular skipper Thiago Silva’s insistence.

However, it was Di Maria who shone brightest at a dark and cold Swedbank Stadion. The Argentina international scored twice to continue to underline exactly why PSG were prepared to spend an extravagant £44.3 million sum to land him from Manchester United in the summer.

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Despite their 1-0 defeat to Real in Madrid last time out in Europe, Di Maria was excellent and unlucky to be on the losing side at Santiago Bernabeu. The 27-year-old picked up where he left off in Sweden and made two big contributions toward Les Parisiens’ impressive victory.

Di Maria’s first goal arrived after just 14 minutes. Ibrahimovic found Blaise Matuidi on the left, and the France international’s low, searching cross was converted in off the post with a clinical first-time finish from the South American.

However, the former United, Real and Benfica star’s second of the night was arguably more impressive.

Picking up the ball outside the Malmo penalty area, Di Maria located Maxwell with a good pass and then made a darting run toward the near post. The Brazilian’s cross was inch-perfect and landed right on the Argentinian’s head, the ball flying past Malmo goalkeeper Johan Wiland.

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Rested for PSG’s 2-1 win away at FC Lorient on Saturday after picking up a knock on international duty with La Albiceleste, the capital club’s No. 11 benefited from the rest and looked much sharper than when Blanc tried a similar tactic prior to his side’s first encounter with Real back in October.

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Di Maria has been good in Ligue 1, but he has arguably saved his best form for the Champions League so far. The man from Rosario has three goals—all scored against Malmo—from his five appearances in Europe, and it is on that stage PSG expect him to perform for them.

So far, he has largely lived up to those expectations with impressive showings in both wins over the Swedes and another in the away defeat at Real. However, he did disappear in the victory away at Shakhtar Donetsk and the home draw against the Spanish giants, so things have not gone perfectly.

With one final outing against Shakhtar to come before the group stage of this season’s Champions League is over, Di Maria has a chance to add to his impressive start to life at Parc des Princes with another decisive display in Europe.

If he can continue to be as influential for PSG across domestic competition until continental duty resumes early in 2016, then he could be primed to be a key factor in whether or not the Ligue 1 leaders reach this season’s quarter-finals or perhaps go one step further.