Paris Saint-Germain were handed an injury scare two weeks before the Champions League final after Ousmane Dembele was forced off early in the club’s 2-1 derby defeat by Paris FC on the final day of the Ligue 1 season. The 29-year-old left the pitch at the Stade Jean-Bouin on Sunday and headed straight to the locker room after what appeared to be a thigh issue.
Dembele was replaced by Goncalo Ramos midway through the first half, and the sight of one of PSG’s most important attackers leaving so soon against Paris FC was enough to raise immediate concern. PSG are scheduled to face Arsenal in Budapest on Saturday, May 30, and the club now has a 12-day window to get him back to full match fitness.
Coach Luis Enrique tried to calm the reaction, saying the change might have been precautionary. “I think it’s just fatigue,” he said. “What we’re saying today is just speculation, but I don’t think it’s anything serious, and there are still two weeks left.” Medical scans are scheduled for Monday to determine the full extent of the damage.
The timing matters because Dembele has been one of PSG’s leading figures this season, with 19 goals and 11 assists in 39 appearances in all competitions. PSG are seeking to lift the trophy for a second year running, and any setback for one of their most productive forwards would complicate their buildup to the final. The concern also reaches beyond club football: Dembele has been included in Didier Deschamps’ squad for the 2026 World Cup, and a longer-term muscle problem could disrupt those preparations as well.
The injury scare also lands against a broader backdrop around the final, including criticism over access to the match after TNT ended free Champions League final coverage and a separate backlash over the broadcaster’s decision on free-to-air access. For PSG, though, the immediate issue is simpler and more urgent: whether Dembele’s early exit was just a false alarm or the first sign of a problem that could follow them to the biggest night of their season.
