PSG Hit by Injury Crisis Ahead of Champions League Clash with Barcelona
PSG are preparing for their biggest test of the season so far as they travel to Spain to take on Barcelona in a blockbuster UEFA Champions League group stage fixture this week. But the reigning European champions are entering this high-stakes encounter severely weakened, with multiple injuries to key players threatening to derail their momentum.
The headline absentee is none other than Ousmane Dembele, who is fresh off being crowned the Ballon d’Or winner for 2024. The French winger was honoured with the prestigious award after a sensational season where he scored 35 goals, helping PSG to a treble-winning campaign.
Dembele, however, will miss the opportunity to face his former club, Barcelona, where he spent six years before joining PSG in 2023. The 28-year-old is currently sidelined with a thigh injury sustained during international duty earlier this month. While he has stated that his recovery is progressing well, he is not expected to return for at least another two weeks.
“It is going well. I will be back very soon,” Dembele said in a post-match interview after PSG’s 2-0 win over Auxerre, where he was celebrated by fans as he presented his Ballon d’Or trophy at the Parc des Princes.
PSG’s Injury List Grows Ahead of Barcelona Showdown
Dembele is not the only key figure missing for Luis Enrique, who now faces a selection headache as injuries continue to pile up. Desire Doué, the electrifying 20-year-old attacker who finished second to Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal in the Kopa Trophy rankings, is also unavailable. He has been out of action since suffering a calf injury, also on international duty for France.
Additionally, PSG are without defensive stalwart Marquinhos and tireless midfielder João Neves, who are nursing thigh and hamstring injuries respectively. Their absence significantly weakens PSG’s spine against a Barcelona side that has also looked sharp this season.
There are also doubts surrounding Vitinha, the playmaker who finished third in the Ballon d’Or rankings. He was substituted before halftime in the match against Auxerre due to discomfort, while Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, PSG’s dynamic winger, was withdrawn at the break. The club hopes both players were removed as a precaution, but their availability for the Barcelona clash remains uncertain.
“We have to stay positive because we need to be able to manage this situation,” said Luis Enrique after the weekend win. “PSG are not the only team with injuries. It’s a reality of modern football’s intense calendar.”
The injuries at PSG highlight a deeper issue plaguing top clubs—fixture congestion. During the 2024/25 season, PSG played 65 matches across all competitions, including 17 in the Champions League and 7 in the Club World Cup, which concluded with a loss to Chelsea in mid-July.
Top players are shouldering immense workloads. Dembele has made 99 appearances for PSG since signing just over two years ago, along with 20 matches for France. Vitinha has logged 113 club appearances in the same span, plus 21 for Portugal. Star right-back Achraf Hakimi has featured in 131 matches between club and country, with the Africa Cup of Nations and a World Cup looming on the horizon.
“We believe club owners are beginning to realise that this is bad for business,” said Alex Phillips, secretary general of FIFPro, last week. “Too many games diminish player performance and fan engagement.”
For all their spending and star power, PSG’s squad depth is now under scrutiny. The absence of several first-team regulars has left Luis Enrique relying on fringe players and youth to step up in crucial games. Against a confident Barcelona side at Camp Nou, that could prove costly.
Despite the mounting challenges, PSG head into this fixture buoyed by a convincing 4-0 victory over Atalanta in their European opener two weeks ago. That performance showed their potential when at full strength—but now, a more depleted squad will be tested.
Luis Enrique, who previously managed Barcelona, knows all too well the threat his former club poses, especially at home. However, even a defeat might not significantly impact PSG’s progression to the Champions League knockout stages, thanks to the revised league phase format which allows more room for recovery.
“This is a long campaign, and we have to take it one game at a time,” Enrique added. “What matters is staying consistent over the group stage.”
PSG may be reigning European champions, but their resilience is about to be tested like never before. With stars like Dembele, Doué, Marquinhos, and potentially Vitinha and Kvaratskhelia missing, the French giants will have to rely on tactical discipline and squad unity to navigate one of their toughest fixtures of the season.
Whether this patched-up PSG side can overcome Barcelona remains to be seen—but one thing is clear: the physical demands of elite football are starting to show, even on the most elite of squads.
Source- EWN
