Paris Saint-Germain are facing a race against time to have two of their most influential players fit for the Champions League final against Arsenal.
Luis Enrique’s side are sweating over the availability of Achraf Hakimi and Ousmane Dembele as the countdown to the Budapest showdown begins in earnest.
Injury Concerns Mount for Luis Enrique
The French club are nervously monitoring the fitness of two key stars ahead of Saturday’s Champions League final against Arsenal.
The Parisian side, who recently secured another Ligue 1 title, are hoping to defend their European crown at the Puskas Arena, but their preparations have been hampered by significant selection concerns.
The holders face an Arsenal side riding a wave of momentum after Mikel Arteta’s men ended a 22-year wait for a Premier League title. While the Gunners are at peak confidence, PSG are facing the prospect of being far from full strength for the biggest game of the European season in Hungary.
Hakimi Remains A Major Doubt
According to L’Equipe, star full-back Hakimi is not expected to be fit to start the final. This news comes as a huge blow to Enrique’s tactical plans, as the Moroccan international provides a unique attacking threat from the right-hand side of the defense.
Hakimi has been sidelined since suffering a thigh injury during the Champions League semi-final first leg against Bayern Munich nearly a month ago. He is not expected to return to full training until Wednesday, leaving him with just three days to prove his fitness before the squad travels to Budapest for the final.
Dembele Misses Crucial Warm-Up Game
The fitness issues do not stop at the back for the Les Parisiens. PSG recently hosted an in-house friendly consisting of 20-minute halves to maintain match sharpness, but Ousmane Dembele was a notable absentee. The winger has been struggling with a knock since being replaced during the first half of a recent domestic defeat to Paris FC.
Despite the growing concern among the fanbase, Dembele appears confident he will shake off any niggles to start the final.
However, missing the internal friendly suggests that the medical department is taking a cautious approach with the former Barcelona man as the clock ticks down toward Saturday night.
Arteta And Arsenal Handed Tactical Advantage
The potential absence of both Hakimi and Dembele would drastically alter the complexion of the match.
Arsenal’s coaching staff will see this as a major boost, particularly as they look to exploit any lack of pace or cohesion in the PSG ranks following these injury layoffs. All eyes now turn to Tuesday’s scheduled training session in Paris.
This will be the first opportunity for the squad to be put through their paces in a high-intensity environment following the weekend.
For Enrique, the session will be a definitive litmus test to see whether his two stars can play a part in what promises to be a historic clash against the newly-crowned English champions.
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