Matuidi pleased with progression and ´positive´ PSG performance

Blaise Matuidi insists Paris Saint-Germain fully deserved their hard-fought win over Basel as they progressed to the knock-out stages of the Champions League.

The France international opened the score at St Jakob-Park, assisted by Thomas Meunier, but Luca Zoffi’s hopeful effort from distance caught out Alphonse Areola to level the scores at 1-1.

While that would have been enough to take PSG through, with Arsenal winning 3-2 at Ludogorets, Meunier struck a thunderous 90th-minute volley to clinch victory.

And Matuidi, though conceding Basel’s quality, reflected on a “positive” PSG performance in Switzerland.

“We wanted to qualify and we did that,” he was quoted as saying by UEFA.com. “We knew Basel had got results against big teams like Chelsea and Liverpool, and that they don’t lose a lot at home.

“We dominated the game and possession, and created a lot of chances. We could have scored more goals and then they got a superb equaliser, but Thomas came up with an incredible volley.

“There was attractive football and beautiful goals, so it is a positive for the road ahead.”

PSG still have two games remaining in Group A – away to Arsenal, and at home to Ludogorets – and know they must post a positive result at the Emirates Stadium to take top spot.

“Now we want to finish top,” Matuidi added. “The next game against Arsenal will be a mini-final for top spot and we’ll do everything to win it.”

The two sides are tied on 10 points after four matches, but Arsenal lead the group thanks to their away goal in a 1-1 draw in Paris.