Forward-thinking Cavani relishing central role

Deployed through the middle as a true No9, Edinson Cavani is enjoying his most productive campaign in front of goal since joining Paris Saint-Germain in July 2013.

The departure of a certain Zlatan Ibrahimović at the end of last season created a vacancy at the tip of the French side's 4-3-3 formation that the Uruguay forward has gratefully filled with aplomb, scoring 33 goals in all competitions so far this term. 

Cavani will play "where I'd have liked to play right from the beginning of my time in Paris" when Unai Emery's men host Barcelona in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League last-16 tie on 14 February. It is an occasion that will pit the 29-year-old against international team-mate Luis Suárez, a meeting Cavani is relishing.   

UEFA.com: What has been the difference for you this season? Is it the fact you are operating in a more central role?

Cavani: Yes, that's the only difference. Now I'm playing as a centre-forward – nothing else has changed. My commitment to the cause, my team-mates and the club remain the same.

The same goes for my hunger and desire to achieve as much as possible with the club, and everything that I felt when I joined. The only difference is that I'm now playing centrally in attack, which is where I'd have liked to play right from the beginning of my time in Paris.

But like I've always said, I think I delivered the goods and rose to the task of playing in the position they asked me to play before. Now I'm at centre-forward, I feel very happy.

UEFA.com: Are things tactically different this term under Unai Emery?

Cavani: I don't think so. It's a mix between what we did last season and previous years: we look to dominate possession and get plenty of men forward when we attack. It's a mix between two systems: a passing game to a certain extent, together with aggressive pressing.

UEFA.com: How do you view the round of 16 tie against Barcelona?

Cavani: These are two clubs who have met and played out some fiercely contested, attractive matches in this competition in recent years. They're clubs who both have teams capable of challenging in, and winning, this season's Champions League so we'll just have to see what happens.

• Live build-up of this week's game in Paris

It's going to be a great tie. Firstly, because we have faith in our team, and also because we know who we're up against.

International team-mates, club rivals: Cavani and Suárez©Getty Images

UEFA.com: You will face your compatriot Luis Suárez who is from the same city as you ...

Cavani: Things have gone well for me and Luis for a few years now and we're proud to be representing our country and, above all, our city [Salto].

It's a great source of pride and joy to get to face off on an occasion like this, at an important stage of the Champions League, the round of 16 – it's very special. We've crossed paths before and it's one of the nice things about football that you've got to enjoy – they're moments that stay with you.

There are lots of things that get forgotten in football as things keep moving on, but moments like these, when you face an international team-mate, someone from the same city and who was born in the same year, you've got to relish these things because, before you know it, they're gone.