Laurent Blanc expects more from Paris St Germain

PSG coach Laurent Blanc

Paris: Paris Saint-Germain coach Laurent Blanc has urged his side to go as far as they possibly can in the Champions League but admitted that there will be no such thing as an ideal opponent in the quarter-finals.


PSG coach Laurent Blanc

The Ligue 1 leaders came from behind to beat Bayer Leverkusen 2-1 at the Parc des Princes in the second leg of their last 16 tie on Wednesday to go through to the next round 6-1 on aggregate, Marquinhos and Ezequiel Lavezzi getting their goals on the night.

PSG are now certain to at least match their performance in last season's competition, when they lost on away goals to Barcelona in the last eight, but Blanc has urged his men to go that step further.

However, with Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid and Barcelona already through, next week's draw is unlikely to be kind on the French title-holders.

'No bonus to be in QF'
"It's not a bonus" to be in the quarter-finals, said Blanc. "We need to prepare well, be very professional, but I'm not worried about that. I think the players will respond to the challenge.


PSG's Marquinhos (left) celebrates after scoring a goal during the Champions League match against Leverkusen on Wednesday. Pic/AFP

"We have an end to the season that could become very exciting. First of all we are happy, satisfied, but we have won nothing. At the end of the season what counts is trophies."

PSG are eight points clear of Monaco at the top of Ligue 1 and are through to the League Cup final, where they will face Lyon next month.

The Germans took an early lead on the night through Sidney Sam, but Marquinhos equalised soon after.

Leverkusen captain Simon Rolfes had a penalty saved before Lavezzi put PSG in front eight minutes into the second period, and the sending-off of Emre Can saw the Bundesliga club bow out with 10 men.