The reigning Ligue 1 champions are preparing to face Premier League giants in a Champions League match on Tuesday, but Paris Saint-Germain have traveled to north London without World Cup winner Ousmane Dembele in their squad.
Dembele, who has scored four goals this season and played in PSG’s recent victory over Rennes, has been left out of the lineup. When questioned about the winger’s absence, Luis Enrique explained: “If a player doesn’t meet the team’s expectations or show respect, they are not ready to play. This is an important match, and I need every player fully prepared. That’s why I decided to leave Dembele out. My responsibility is to make decisions that are best for the team.”
Enrique acknowledged the difficulty of such choices, saying, “These situations are tough, but I’m fully confident in the decision I’ve made. It’s not irreversible, but I made it with the team’s best interest in mind. I was brought in to build a team with strong character and identity. My primary focus is on that.”
He added, “I was hired to win titles, though I can’t guarantee that. What I can guarantee is that my team will play with a clear identity. If I ever fail to deliver on that, I’ll step aside. I have full support from the club’s president and the sporting director, and while Dembele may be part of the team again in the future, this is the decision I’ve made for now.”
Addressing rumors of a rift between him and Dembele, Enrique said, “I’m always honest, and I want to be clear—there’s no conflict between us. That’s completely false. This is purely about the player’s responsibilities.”
After their Champions League clash with Arsenal, PSG will shift focus to their domestic campaign, facing Nice on Sunday. It remains unclear if Dembele will be reinstated for that game.
Ousmane Dembélé
Ousmane Dembélé
FranceThis season he played in total once for 90 minutes for Champions League.
Ousmane Dembélé didn’t score any goal for Paris Saint Germain. He procured no assists. He received no yellow cards and no red cards.
His team is currently 1st in Champions League. In the last match Paris Saint Germain won 3-1 against Rennes.
Paris Saint Germain performance and stats
Paris Saint Germain is currently 15th in the Champions League with 3 points.
It has a positive goal difference after scoring 1 goals and conceding 0.
Paris Saint Germain will play the next match in Champions League against Arsenal on Tuesday 1st of October in London. The prediction is Arsenal winning the match.
