PSG could visit Barcelona with two key absentees 'thanks' to the FIFA date

Paris Saint-Germain could suffer two key losses in their attack ahead of the visit to FC Barcelona for the second matchday of the league phase of the UEFA Champions League 25/26. Luis Enrique's team will travel to Catalonia on October 1, in what will be their first match of the tournament after their debut against Atalanta on September 17.

Barça, for its part, will make its debut as a visitor against Newcastle on Thursday the 18th, after requesting a special permit from UEFA to play matchday 1 of the league stage away from home. The Blaugrana team hopes to have the Spotify Camp Nou available to receive Paris. Otherwise, the match will be played in Montjuïc.

Whatever the venue of the match, PSG has raised all the alarms at the possibility of starting the defense of the Champions League title with two very sensitive absences: Ousmane Dembélé and Desiré Doué. Both ended up injured with France this Friday after the victory of 'Les Bleus' against Ukraine (0-2).

Dembélé relapses from his thigh problems: will he arrive at the Barça-PSG?

The 'Mosquito' arrived at the French camp dragging some discomfort in the left hamstring. For this reason, he was a substitute against Ukraine, but Didier Deschamps decided to put him on after the break to try to close a match that, at that time, was still 0-1 and with Ukraine getting dangerously close to the French area.

The French finally settled the match with a goal from Kylian Mbappé in the 82nd minute, but Dembélé had to ask for the change a minute before, due to acute pain in the back of his right thigh. Hugo Ekitike entered in his place and, in the post-match press conference, Didier Deschamps justified his decision to put the Vernon player on despite being coddled.

"If it was safe that he could play. Also, it's the other thigh. Although he didn't feel anything serious. It's because he was in good condition. Unfortunately, for him, it happened. It can happen to someone who didn't have anything before," argued the French coach.

In principle, Ousmane's injury points to grade 1, with which he will be out of action, at least, between four and six weeks, according to 'RMC Sport'. This would leave him out of the league matches against Lens, Marseille Auxerre and Lille, while in the Champions League he would also not be available against Atalanta and Barça.

Ousmane Dembélé celebrating his goal in Montjuïc against Barça

In this way, 'Dembouz' would not arrive in time for the visit to Barcelona, his second with the Paris shirt. In the 23/24 season, the 'Mosquito' was key in the qualification of Luis Enrique's team against the culés, in the quarterfinals (6-4 on aggregate).

Before PSG's visit to Barça, Dembélé hopes to receive his first Ballon d'Or, on September 22 in Paris. The Parisian '10' is, together with Lamine Yamal, the main candidate to win the award given annually by the magazine 'France Football'.

Desiré Doué, also 'KO' due to a puncture in the calf

For his part, Desiré Doué also left the Ukraine-France match injured due to an injury to his right calf. Dembélé himself entered in his place during the break, after 45 minutes in which he did not have too much impact in attack.

Doué was a starter, forming the French offensive trident together with Bradley Barcola and Mbappé. Michael Olise, as an attacking midfielder, was the best of 'Les Bleus', scoring the team's first goal. 'Kiki' also completed a good match closing the result.

In principle, the first tests confirm a downtime of three to four weeks for the 20-year-old striker, a great figure in the Champions League final against Inter (he scored a double and gave an assist). With this, Doué would be out for the next three matchdays of Ligue 1 and the European debut against Atalanta.

With luck, the winger would arrive at the match against Barça, while Ousmane, at this point, aims to reappear after the next international break, in mid-October. Both shone in the last match of Luis Enrique's team (3-6 against Toulouse), with a double and assist from the 'Mosquito' and another goal pass from the '14'.

Barça is not calm with the injuries either

Barcelona, for now, is also attentive to the evolution of Frenkie de Jong and Lamine Yamal. The Dutchman left, as a precaution, the concentration with the Netherlands due to a pain in the gluteus. The '10' azulgrana, on the other hand, is doubtful for the match against Turkey due to lower back discomfort.

For now, the only players in the culé infirmary are Marc-André ter Stegen, Gavi and Alejandro Balde. The full-back will be out for two to three weeks due to an injury to his left femoral biceps, while the goalkeeper is aiming for a recovery of 4 to 5 months after undergoing back surgery.

Gavi, for his part, is dragging discomfort in his right knee and could be out for at least a couple more matches (against Valencia and Newcastle) to prevent a considerable injury to the knee operated on at the end of 2023.

As things stand, both Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain remain on tenterhooks over the evolution of several of their main figures. The match in Catalonia will be the first stellar clash of the season for both teams.