Paris Saint-Germain winger Angel Di Maria has said that he did not start this season as well as he had hoped but is pleased with his improvement in form since the start of 2017.
Di Maria, 29, was slow off the mark and had just one Ligue 1 goal and five assists to his name at the midway point of the campaign, which prompted the French champions to move for Wolfsburg's Julian Draxler in the January transfer window.
"I did not start well," Di Maria told PSG's official website. "I was not at the level I had hoped to be at. I think the fact I played the Copa America and a lot of matches had an influence. I suffered a dip.
"In 2017, I was able to spend time with my family in Argentina, recharge my batteries, think about what had been achieved -- I needed to change something, to be better. I managed to score goals, make more assists, that is the important thing."
Since the start of 2017 and Draxler's arrival, Di Maria has scored nine goals and assisted two more domestically.
The Argentina international also scored twice -- one a free kick -- in a virtuoso display as PSG beat Barcelona 4-0 in the first leg of their ultimately ill-fated Champions League round-of-16 encounter.
"Making passes is what I prefer the most," Di Maria said. "Seeing my teammates score, I love that, it is what I like about football. Having said that, when you score, it is a great feeling."
Asked about free kicks, he said: "Free kicks? I train to be able to pull them off in a match. In France, the matches are sometimes very tight and so it is difficult to score. A free kick can unlock a game."
Di Maria's goal scoring of late has given him the chance to show off his latest celebration, where he mimes picking up a telephone.
The former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Benfica man said that it is for his daughter, who he is often away from because of commitments for club and country.
"It is for my daughter," he said. "In general, I am not very often at home with training sessions, matches, the Argentina team. So, each time I score, I do that.
"We mostly speak on the phone. She wanted me to do that and what your children ask of you, you do it!"
Di Maria and his PSG teammates will attempt to reach the Coupe de France final on Wednesday when they host Monaco at Parc des Princes.