Top News

Paris Saint-Germain are facing a fitness crisis ahead of their Champions League final clash with Arsenal, as both Ousmane Dembele and Achraf Hakimi remain injury doubts. Luis Enrique’s side are anxiously waiting to see if the two key players can recover in time for the title decider in Budapest.

Worry grows for Luis Enrique

The French champions are keeping a close eye on the condition of two of their most important stars before Saturday’s Champions League showdown against Arsenal. PSG, who recently clinched another Ligue 1 title, aim to retain their European crown at the Puskas Arena, but their preparations have been disrupted by injury problems to crucial members of the squad.

The reigning champions will meet an Arsenal side brimming with confidence after Mikel Arteta’s men ended a 22-year drought to lift the Premier League trophy. While the Gunners arrive in top form, PSG could be forced to enter the biggest match of the European season without two of their starting regulars.

Hakimi’s availability remains uncertain

As reported by L’Equipe, right-back Achraf Hakimi is unlikely to be fit to start the final. The development comes as a major setback for Luis Enrique, given the Moroccan’s attacking influence and pace down the right flank. Hakimi has been out of action since sustaining a thigh injury in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final against Bayern Munich nearly a month ago. The defender is expected to resume full training only by Wednesday, leaving a narrow window of three days to prove his match readiness before the team departs for Budapest.

Dembele skips key practice match

PSG’s injury worries extend beyond defence, with forward Ousmane Dembele missing a recent intra-squad friendly designed to preserve fitness levels. The short match, consisting of two 20-minute halves, saw the winger absent due to a knock he suffered in the first half of a domestic loss to Paris FC. Despite this, Dembele is reportedly optimistic about recovering in time to start the final. However, his absence from the internal game indicates that the medical staff are being cautious with his workload as the clock ticks towards Saturday’s final.

Arteta and Arsenal could benefit tactically

Should both Hakimi and Dembele miss out, the dynamics of the final could shift significantly in Arsenal’s favour. Mikel Arteta’s coaching team will view their potential absence as a strategic advantage, with opportunities to exploit any gaps in PSG’s rhythm or speed caused by these injury setbacks. The focus now turns to Tuesday’s scheduled training session in Paris, which will serve as a crucial assessment point for both players’ readiness.

For Luis Enrique, this session will be key in determining whether his two stars can contribute in what is shaping up to be a historic encounter against the newly crowned Premier League champions. The outcome of that training could define PSG’s tactical setup and their hopes of retaining the Champions League crown in Hungary.