AFP, 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.
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.
“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.
“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.
But while they are on course to win a domestic trophy double, going all the way in the Champions League will be a huge challenge.
“I think first of all the objective is to go as far as possible. Ok, we have done as well as last year, but you want to win every tie,” said Blanc.
“There are teams who have a legitimacy in the Champions League in terms of experience that we don’t have, but I think the consideration that our opponents have for us has increased.
“They know we are a club who can go far. We will wait for the draw. Hopefully we can get a bit of luck in the draw, but the ideal opponent does not exist.”
Blanc was disappointed with his team’s performance on the night, as they conceded an early goal to Sidney Sam before Salvatore Sirigu had to save a Simon Rolfes penalty with the scores at 1-1.
He gave a guarded response following comments by club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi on French television after the match that he would be offered a new contract.
