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By Jonathan Johnson (@Jon_LeGossip)

Edinson Cavani and Uruguay made a less than ideal start to this summer’s Copa America Centenario with a 3-1 loss to Mexico in Glendale, Arizona, on Monday. El Tri shot to the top of Group C thanks to an Alvaro Pereira own goal, as well as Rafael Marquez and Hector Herrera strikes.

Diego Godin temporarily equalised for Los Charruas with 16 minutes to go but Marquez and Herrera’s late efforts condemned Oscar Tabarez’s men to defeat. Uruguay now have to beat Venezuela, who edged Jamaica 1-0 in their opening fixture, as well as the Reggae Boyz, to ensure their safe passage into the latter stages in the United States of America.

Barcelona’s Luis Suarez, who missed the Mexico loss, is expected to return for La Celeste in Philadelphia and his reintegration into Tabarez’s starting XI could be the key to their revival. If the 15-time champions are to make it out of Group C, then they will need the likes of Paris Saint-Germain’s Cavani, Boca Juniors’ Nicolas Lodeiro, Middlesbrough’s Gaston Ramirez, FC Girondins de Bordeaux’s Diego Rolan and Hull City’s Abel Hernandez to all step up on top of Suarez’s return.

Cavani, in particular, has plenty to play for. The 29-year-old has a chance to impress employers PSG with his performances in the USA this month because by the time he returns to Paris for the new season, plenty will have changed. First and foremost, the French champions are entering the post-Zlatan Ibrahimovic era and the super Swede has left a big void to be filled at Parc des Princes. 

Although Cavani has been publicly assured that he will finally get his chance to lead the line by Les Parisiens’ president Nasser Al-Khelaifi, a number of things could change that by the start of the new campaign. When El Matador returns to France, it looks highly likely that Laurent Blanc will no longer be PSG coach and that Sevilla’s Unai Emery will be the new boss. 

For Cavani, this is a huge opportunity to cement his place at the head of the Ligue 1 giants’ impending “new cycle.” It was no secret that the South American and Blanc did not always see eye to eye with each other. Not being able to play in his preferred central striking role because of Ibrahimovic’s presence has certainly been a hindrance for Cavani in what has been a difficult few years in Paris. 

However, the biggest obstacle on the path to success for the Uruguay international has arguably been Blanc’s destruction of his confidence by failing to utilise him properly and not Zlatan’s overbearing influence as many claim. As a fellow Spanish speaker, Emery will be able to restore the self-belief Cavani has lost under Le President and the 44-year-old tactician will also be able to make his expectations absolutely clear to the PSG No. 9.

Assuming that Emery does get Blanc’s job, the same goes for the French giants’ Spanish-speaking contingent of Argentina internationals Javier Pastore and Angel Di Maria. Both are potentially key figures in this “new cycle,” along with Cavani. The former SSC Napoli man has largely underwhelmed in his time with Les Parisiens, yet he still has 81 goals from 147 appearances across all competitions. That is better than one strike every two matches, which is a good return for a striker who has never felt totally comfortable in the team.

If Cavani can help Uruguay into the Copa America Centenario latter stages and then on from there, it could strengthen his position for when he makes his return to Paris to commence the unenviable task of following on from Ibrahimovic. Conversely, though, should Cavani struggle through these next two games in America against Venezuela and Jamaica, then perhaps PSG and their potential new coach could decide that El Matador is incapable of replacing Zlatan as the team’s main source of goals alone. 

The potential arrival of another big name attacking player to provide competition, Juventus’ Alvaro Morata for example, could be enough for Cavani to finally call time on his Parisian adventure this summer.