This Tuesday, Paris Saint-Germain faces Monaco at the Stade Louis II in the first leg of their 2025-2026 Champions League playoff (the second leg is on February 25th). Kick-off is at 9 pm, CET). On Saturday evening, L’Equipe reported that Ousmane Dembélé is doubtful. This is due to discomfort felt by the 28-year-old forward against Rennes on Friday (a 3-1 defeat in the 22nd round of Ligue 1). This information was mentioned almost as an aside in a discussion about his criticism of an overly individualistic style of play, which seems far less important.
“In principle, the PSG dressing room shouldn’t hold it against him. And Luis Enrique?” Last season, the coach punished Dembélé following a heated exchange after a victory against Rennes (3-1) on September 27, 2024. The former Barcelona player was not called up four days later for the trip to Arsenal in the Champions League (0-2).
Is he facing a similar sanction for the trip to Monaco this Tuesday? At PSG, they insist the two situations are completely unrelated. This doesn’t guarantee his starting position: Dembélé reportedly came off against Rennes with a minor injury. To put this behind him, the best possible response is expected at the Stade Louis-II.
We remain cautious; nothing is certain with just one media outlet mentioning a possible issue. Especially when it’s so discreet. It lacks certainty. We’ll wait for confirmation, or a denial, for more certainty.
Also, an injury during one match doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll miss the next one. That’s also part of top-level football; a lot can still happen. Let’s hope Dembélé can be at 100% on Sunday.
