Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored twice as holders Paris Saint-Germain eased past Lyon 3-0 to reach the quarter-finals of the French Cup on Wednesday, extending the capital club’s winning run to 16 matches.
Ibrahimovic bundled in the opening goal just past the hour at the Parc des Princes, and the Swede added a second soon after as PSG began to turn the screw.
Adrien Rabiot then netted a third on 75 minutes, with Laurent Blanc’s men staying firmly on course to repeat last year’s domestic treble.
PSG will travel to six-time winners Saint-Etienne in the last eight having already knocked Christophe Galtier’s side out of the French League Cup in December. “We didn’t start too well, we were a bit better towards the end of the first half. But we were much better in the second period,” Rabiot told France 3.
Blanc’s side host Chelsea in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie next Tuesday, but first they are at home to Lille tomorrow.
“As of Sunday, we’ll start preparing for the game against Chelsea. The game against Lille, with all respect to Lille, is badly timed,” said the coach.
“The calendar can’t get any tighter. If you talk to me about the fixture list, I get heated, so it’s better to avoid it,” he added.
Blanc handed Edinson Cavani, relegated to several substitute appearances in Ligue 1 since the turn of the year, a start in place of Angel Di Maria, while midfielder Blaise Matuidi made way for Benjamin Stambouli.  
A quiet first half saw Paris fail to register a single shot on target, with Cavani wasting the home side’s best opportunity when he steered wide after Lucas picked out the Uruguayan just inside the area.  
Maxwell Cornet went close to giving Lyon the lead five minutes before the break, but Salvatore Sirigu flung himself to his left to brilliantly turn behind the teenager’s curling effort.
Ibrahimovic drilled narrowly wide early in the second period, but PSG’s mounting pressure eventually told on 63 minutes as Lucas burst down the left-hand side before crossing for Ibrahimovic to chest home.
The Swede struck again just four minutes later when Serge Aurier slid in a low cross from the right for Ibrahimovic, who was marginally offside, to poke beyond Anthony Lopes.
Alexandre Lacazette blazed over as Bruno Genesio’s men sought to reduce the deficit, and the visitors were understandably aggrieved when Rabiot, clearly behind the last defender, converted Maxwell’s left-wing cross to seal a fourth win in as many attempts over Lyon this season.  
Earlier, Nantes came from behind in extra time to claim a thrilling 4-3 victory at Bordeaux, with US international Alejandro Bedoya netting a 118th-minute winner.
Saint-Etienne also needed extra time to see off Ligue 1’s bottom side Troyes as France Under-21 forward Neal Maupay struck the decisive blow in the 107th minute, while Lorient thumped fourth-tier Sarre-Union 4-0.
On Tuesday, second-division strugglers Sochaux knocked out Monaco with a 2-1 victory at the Stade Auguste Bonal, with Gazelec Ajaccio and fifth-tier Granville—drawn against the winner of Thursday’s tie between amateurs Trelissac and Marseille in the next round—also advancing.
However, Granville goalkeeper Clement Daoudou was hospitalised following an assault at a fast-food restaurant after the match, which left him with heavy bruising and a broken nose.
“We’re shocked and outraged by what happened. It was in no case a fight but indeed an assault,” Granville’s co-president Fabrice Clement was quoted as saying by regional daily Ouest France.

Blanc extends PSG contract until 2018
Paris St-Germain said yesterday that coach Laurent Blanc has extended his contract until 2018, giving him a free rein for the tough Champions League campaign ahead. Blanc’s current deal runs out at the end of the season and the club’s wealthy Qatari owners moved to tie in the 50-year-old to a new contract without waiting to see how the side do in looming decisive Champions League clashes. Paris play Chelsea in the last 16, with the first leg next week.
“Quite simply, we need to look to the future, that’s the way I see it,” said Blanc after the new deal, which he called “a strong show of faith”.
“I’m very happy, also for my staff. A coach is nothing without his staff. For us, continuing the adventure is a show of faith but also a big responsibility.
“The club has ambitions both nationally and in Europe, and we’ll do all we can to reach those objectives. We’ll get there; we’re ready. We’re aware that we’re at a big club where expectations are very high.”
“Laurent Blanc is now tied to the capital’s club until June 30, 2018,” PSG said in a statement.
Paris won the league, French Cup, and League Cup last year and are on course to repeat the feat this year. They have not lost a game in domestic competition for seven months and beat Lyon 3-0 on Wednesday to reach the French Cup quarter finals.
The club said Blanc signed his new deal just before the match.  
But the Champions League is the trophy that Paris owner Nasser al-Khelaifi wants and the announcement surprised some.
Paris are seeking their first-ever Champions League crown after bowing out at the quarter-final stage for the past three seasons. Al-Khelaifi said in a French newspaper interview in December that he considers Blanc to be “one of the best coaches in the world”.
And in announcing the new deal, he said he was “extremely proud and happy” with the extension. “It was important to us that he be a continuing part of Paris Saint-Germain’s plans. He has obtained excellent results since his arrival. He has already won eight trophies with us, which is quite simply formidable. Also, I like our team’s playing style, a style that he has instilled.”

Related Story