Pastore laughs off criticism

Paris Saint-Germain's Javier Pastore has played down criticism of his poor recent form and feels everyone has their ups and downs.

The 22-year-old, who moved to the French capital from Palermo last summer, has scored 13 goals in 38 appearances but has come under fire from critics in the last few months. The Argentina international midfield star will line up with his team-mates for the most important match of the campaign this weekend as they prepare to face Lille at the Stadium Lille Metropole on Sunday. And, with his ears still burning from critics in the media, the youngster insists he is solely focused on getting the three points. "It's normal. Even players like Messi or Ronaldo were criticised after they were eliminated in the semi-finals of the Champions League," he told the club's website. "It is very difficult to maintain the same level over a whole season. I had ups and downs but I always tried to improve. The most important thing is to keep winning."