News Focus
- Ousmane Dembélé and Achraf Hakimi both missed Paris Saint-Germain’s group training on Saturday
- The French champions face Arsenal in the Champions League final in exactly seven days
- Dembélé insists he will be fully fit despite being rested this weekend
- Hakimi has not played since the semi-final victory against Bayern Munich on April 28
- Young midfielder Warren Zaïre-Emery could replace Hakimi if the Moroccan fails to recover
Paris Saint-Germain fans received a worrying update this weekend as two key stars sat out team practice. Ousmane Dembélé and Achraf Hakimi were both absent from Saturday’s session at the training ground.
The timing is far from ideal. The Ligue 1 giants will face English club Arsenal in the Champions League final next weekend. Manager Luis Enrique now faces serious selection headaches.
Dembélé has not trained with the main squad this Saturday. The French winger came off early during last Sunday’s 2-1 win against Paris FC. Medical staff took this action to prevent further damage. Instead of joining his teammates, the Ballon d’Or holder watched a friendly match between the senior players and academy youngsters.
Earlier this week, the 29-year-old spoke to RMC Sport. He promised supporters there was no major concern. “I will be 100% ready for the match,” he stated confidently.
Hakimi’s situation appears more serious. The Moroccan full-back has not featured since PSG beat Bayern Munich 5-4 in the semi-final first leg on April 28. He completed light individual work away from the main group. Over 1,000 PSG supporters attended the open session and cheered him on.
Enrique must now decide whether to risk Hakimi against the Gunners. If the 27-year-old does not recover in time, Warren Zaïre-Emery may start in his position. The 20-year-old has filled in during recent matches.