Manchester United and Paris St. Germain will square off Wednesday night in a preseason friendly that is now the “Angel Di Maria Cup” of sorts. Of course, it’s just exhibition, and the result of the game will have no actual consequence on Di Maria’s decision. However, it looks like this week will be when Di Maria swaps sides and completes his transfer between the two teams.
With the two sides meeting up in Chicago a few days from now, maybe it will just make the negotiating process easier for both clubs.
Di Maria isn’t the only player who’s been linked with a transfer between the two clubs. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the mercurial Swedish superstar has been linked with a move to Old Trafford this summer. However, according to a story in the Mail on Sunday, Ibrahimovic insists he is happy at PSG in “the best city in Europe” despite links over a summer move to United.
He’s not lying; Paris is indeed the most beautiful city in the entire world and the Paris St. Germain has my all time favorite logo and color scheme in all of sports; hands down. I love the incorporation of the Eiffel Tower, France’s signature landmark, as well the French national tri-color flag.
To see how beautiful Paris truly is, in a very short amount of time, embedded below is the opening from the Woody Allen film “Midnight in Paris.”
PSG striker Edinson Cavani was heavily linked with a move to the Red Devils this summer, but that doesn’t seem to be a transaction that will happen. Paris has ruled out selling him to United, and if Van Gaal does bring in a striker this summer it very likely won’t be Cavani.
Moving on to the actual game, it kicks off at 8 local time, and airs at 10:30 local time on Fox Sports 1. It will be played at Soldier Field, home of the Chicago Bears in along the shores of Lake Michigan in Chicago, Illinois. The friendly is part of the International Champions Cup.
United are undefeated throughout the preseason tournament as they defend the 2014 Cup crown (I know “preseason” and “crown” or “championship” it’s oxymoronic, I know. Let’s just move on) The Red Devils have now leapfrogged PSG in the International Champions Cup standings, as Les Parisiens lost to Chelsea on penalty kicks in an ICC match held in Charlotte, North Carolina. It was the first time the two sides have met since the reigning French domestic champs knocked the Blues out of Champions League.
PSG won their previous two ICC games.
For the readers who are new to this game and this club, here’s a little background information. For the experts, it will be a nice little refresher in club history.
Since being purchased by Qatar Sports Investment in 2011, Paris Saint-Germain has re-established its position as one of the top teams in the world. Founded in 1970, the club is one of the most successful in French history, having won eight French Cups and Ligue 1 four times, including back-to-back wins in 2013 and 2014.
Led by Thiago Silva and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the club set the Ligue 1 record for points in 2014 with 89. With the addition of star defender and 2014 FIFA World XI member David Luiz, Paris Saint-Germain will continue to further impact the global football landscape.
At least that’s the goal, as PSG hope that adding Di Maria will get help bring their first ever Champions League title.
PSG ownership, the corporate types and Manager Laurent St. Blanc are all working together to try and add players to make France’s most high profile club of late into more than just a domestic power. The club hopes to make PSG a European power and they’ve been spending the money to try and reach this goal.
Here is the link to the Manchester United version of this post.
Paul M. Banks owns, operates and writes The Sports Bank.net, which is part of the FOX Sports Engage Network. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes to the Chicago Tribune RedEye edition. He also appears regularly on numerous talk radio stations all across the country.
Follow him on Twitter and Instagram