Marco Verratti's Absence vs. Marseille Could Salvage Yohan Cabaye's PSG Career

Following the news that Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Marco Verratti might miss Le Classique at the Parc des Princes on Sunday, Yohan Cabaye could be thrown the most unlikely of lifelines with the visit of Olympique de Marseille.

Recently, the French international has not been performing at the level expected of him, and the 28-year-old understandably finds himself behind the likes of Marco Verratti, Blaise Matuidi and Thiago Motta in the pecking order. However, with Motta suspended and Verratti now a doubt, Cabaye is becoming a more realistic option for Laurent Blanc.

Javier Pastore is likely to replace one of the Italian international pair, but if both Azzurri stars do miss out, then it will be between Cabaye and Rabiot for a place. Although Blanc is itching to get the 19-year-old back into the picture after he recently extended his contract until 2019, Cabaye is the more logical choice to start with.

Not only is the PSG No. 4 fitter, he is also more experienced and the right sort of player to bring into the starting XI for a game like this. Rabiot might have been the better option had he been fit, but the teenage talent has yet to feature in a first team match this season. Marseille is hardly the sort of encounter that will ease him in, plus the supporters will likely give him a hot reception because of the difficulties in renewing his contract.

Had Blanc been able to choose from his usual full complement of midfielders, Cabaye would not have even been getting near the first team and perhaps could have been left out altogether after some woeful recent showings.

Despite scoring the equalising goal in PSG’s 3-1 win over RC Lens lately, Cabaye has not proved himself to be anything but a nuisance and often a passenger in the team when played from the start.

Just witness his performance in the recent 2-1 win away at FC Lorient, where he looked out of his depth and threatened to hand the game to Les Merlus. The same problem that has afflicted him at club level has also seeped into his international performances, and the France No. 6 should be grateful that Didier Deschamps has shown him so much faith while in some of the worst form of his career.

When he was coaching the French national team, Blanc was known to be a big fan of Cabaye and you would have to assume that he played a sizeable role in luring the Frenchman from Newcastle United to the Parc des Princes. The fact that Le President finds himself unable to trust the 28-year-old to play any sort of important role at present speaks volumes about the player’s current malaise.

Therefore, when an opportunity has possibly presented itself and the coach has no other realistic alternatives, Cabaye could get the chance in PSG’s biggest match of the season so far. Having disappointed so badly this season, being put under the pressure to perform might not be a bad thing.

If he does find himself in the starting XI against Marseille, Cabaye needs to seize the opportunity if he wants to salvage his PSG career and fight his way back into Blanc’s plans. If he does not, or if Verratti is fit enough to play and Cabaye is not needed, then the former Lille OSC man must accept that his time in the capital may well be coming to a swift end because of his recent performances.

He cannot expect to get a chance to redeem himself anytime soon without certain factors working in his favour. Verratti’s injury would count as one of those.

After disappointing for PSG so many times thus far, Cabaye must put in a performance of the highest quality on Sunday if Blanc is obliged to use him because of injury and suspension. A good performance could reinvigorate him and even help him secure a move away in January of next year.