Apart from the surprise absence ofOusmane Dembélé following a “technical decision“, Luis Enrique will benefit from the return of several players who filled the infirmary in recent days, knowing that injury management is a central axis of his work at the heart of a long and intense season.
Preserved in recent days, Vitinha, Donnarumma, Mendes, Asensio et Gifted are making their return to the PSG group, which still has to deal with the long absences ofHernandez, Kimpembe et Ramos. To see Vitinha, Marco Asensio and Nuno Mendes lined up, it will depend on how they feel over the next twenty-four hours.
Forfeited against Girona and replaced by the Russian recruit Matvey SafonovGianluigi Donnarumma (thigh) is applying for a starting place in London, where the Parisians will have to be extra vigilant on set pieces, their weak point. This will certainly be the key sector for Paris because Arsenal are one of the most effective European teams currently in this area.
Made up of a young collective like the Portuguese midfielder Joao Neves who celebrated his 20th birthday this weekend, the French winger Bradley Barcola (22 years old) and the Ecuadorian defender Willian Pacho (22 years old), Paris must now confirm in major European events. This meeting should give clues about the potential of the Parisian team, one of the youngest in Europe and which is now playing without a big star after the departures of Neymar, Messi (2023) then Mbappé (2024).
“Even if we don’t have big names, we are ready to go for big things“, launched Marquinhos before the start of the Champions League two weeks ago. “There is no doubt that our team is young but I am not putting limits on us. I don’t think it’s a handicap for us“, Luis Enrique also assured.
After Arsenal, PSG’s schedule is just as difficult with PSV Eindhoven, Atletico Madrid, Bayern Munich, Salzburg, Manchester City and Stuttgart, but “we are not going to use our calendar as an excuse, we are going to fight“, warned the Parisian coach.
