On September 4, Paris Saint-Germain sent a letter to the French Football Federation (FFF), revealed by L’Équipe. Signed by Grégory Durand, the club’s general secretary, the letter expresses PSG’s concerns over the management of its international players within the French national team. The club criticizes what it sees as a lack of medical consultation, particularly regarding two injured players who were nevertheless kept in the squad.
“We must now share with you our deep concern”
“The letter, dated September 4 and addressed to Philippe Diallo, president of the French Football Federation, as well as to the FFF’s general secretariat, begins with Grégory Durand, PSG’s general secretary and signatory of the letter, ‘reaffirming the club’s commitment to the national mission and to the French team, whose prestige we fully share as a goal,’ before continuing: ‘We must now share with you our deep concern and dissatisfaction regarding the preservation of the health of our international players during their call-ups.’
“Two of our injured players kept in the squad despite a clinical condition incompatible with competition”
The letter denounces the fact that “two of our injured players [were] kept in the squad despite a clinical condition incompatible with competition.” The capital club also deplores the lack of prior communication before the players’ arrival, arguing that the decision was made “unilaterally, without consultation or validation from our medical staff.”
This letter highlights ongoing tensions between Paris Saint-Germain and the French Football Federation. The Parisian club first criticizes a protocol it deems too rigid: despite confirmed injuries, two PSG players were retained in the squad, at the risk of worsening their condition.
For PSG, this is not merely a matter of sporting availability, but of safeguarding player health—an essential concern in a packed season. At the same time, the club points to the absence of dialogue between medical teams, viewing the federation’s decisions as unilateral.
This standoff underscores a long-standing debate: the balance between the interests of clubs, who employ and pay the players, and those of national teams, seen as the custodians of collective prestige. The episode illustrates how fragile that balance remains—especially when injuries disrupt an already overloaded calendar.
And with the recent injuries to Désiré Doué and Ousmane Dembélé, it is clear why PSG’s concerns were justified. But as Luis Enrique often reminds, injuries are part and parcel of a footballer’s career—and clubs must learn to adapt.
