Patchy PSG must do better, admits Emery
Paris - Paris Saint-Germain coach Unai Emery acknowledged that his team is not yet up to the standard expected of serious Champions League contenders despite the 3-0 win over Basel on Wednesday.
Goals from Angel Di Maria, Lucas and Edinson Cavani, with a late penalty, gave PSG an ultimately comfortable victory that keeps the French side on course to qualify for the last 16 from Group A.
Quarter-finalists in each of the last four seasons, the French champion will likely secure its place in the next round by picking up a point against Basel in Switzerland next month.
However, Emery knows his men must improve upon what was a patchy performance against an unlucky opponent who was denied three times by the woodwork at the Parc des Princes.
"It is an important three points but I am not as happy as I'd like to be," the Spaniard said after seeing his side struggle in the first half and then improve as the game went on.
"The first half was not good. That's true. We were saved by the posts but we scored, and at 1-0 the match opened up for us and we had chances."
PSG missed the injured Thiago Motta but in the veteran Italian's absence Adrien Rabiot performed well alongside Marco Verratti and Blaise Matuidi.
"In the second half, after Rabiot and Verratti changed positions, and with a bit of patience, we started to play better," Emery added.
"Rabiot had a good game. He is a good player who is capable of becoming a top player."
The PSG players celebrated exuberantly with their supporters at the end of the game after Cavani's penalty, his 17th goal of the season for club and country, added gloss to the score-line.
But Emery admitted his team "need to work to improve" and he will hope former Real Madrid and Manchester United star Di Maria can start to have more influence on the side after he scored his first goal of the season late in the first period.
The Argentine came off towards the end after asking to be replaced because of a minor injury, but Emery said he did not expect the problem to be serious ahead of this weekend's meeting with bitter rival Marseille.