Edinson Cavani Hits Out at Ligue 1 Critics After PSG's Loss vs. Liverpool
Paris Saint-Germain forward Edinson Cavani has dismissed critics who say Ligue 1 is an inferior league, challenging Premier League sides to try their luck in France and see how difficult it is.
The Uruguay international made the comments after his team's 3-2 loss against Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League, per Goal's Ryan Kelly:
"The best teams in Europe play in the Champions League, and when you face them, sometimes you win, sometimes you lose.
"I would like to see Premier League teams play in Ligue 1 so we could see how good they are.
"I wouldn't disparage the French league, as France are the current world champions and many of their players play in Ligue 1.
"French teams have been playing in the later stages of the Champions League in the last few years. So I just think, this is football. It is what it is."
PSG came out flat against an in-form Liverpool side on Tuesday and lost 3-2 after coming back from a two-goal deficit. Roberto Firmino got a late winner for the Reds.
After the match, much of the focus was on how PSG failed to live up to the lofty expectations yet again.
ESPN FC's Mark Ogden was one of many who linked the relatively weak Ligue 1 to their struggles in Europe:
The criticism of Ligue 1 isn't new. PSG stroll through the competition most years, with only a few teams truly testing them. When they get to the Champions League, they often lack the rhythm needed to compete with Europe's elite clubs. Those opponents usually have to dig much deeper in their domestic leagues.
Such criticism doesn't sit well with the players who actually ply their trade in France. PSG manager Thomas Tuchel made similar comments before the match:
Les Parisiens won the domestic treble last year, bagging the league, the Coupe de France and Coupe de la Ligue. They've won five of the last six titles, with AS Monaco beating them to the finish line in 2016-17.
Such dominance isn't unique to Ligue 1, however. Juventus are the seven-time defending champions in Italy and already have the lead in the standings with a perfect record, while Bayern Munich have won the Bundesliga by a double-digit points margin six years running.
Both those teams have a rich European pedigree and tend to do well in the Champions League, however. PSG have never made it out of the quarter-finals of the tournament.
Les Parisiens are in last place in Group C, where Napoli and Red Star Belgrade sit one point ahead of them in the standings.
