Injury-hit PSG brace for Barca test

Saint-Germain face their biggest test of the season so far when the Champions League titleholders visit Barcelona this week, but Luis Enrique’s side go into the game in the midst of an injury crisis affecting several of their biggest stars.

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The headline absentee is Ousmane Dembélé, fresh from winning the Ballon d’Or last week in recognition of his magnificent 2024/25 campaign, during which the France winger scored 35 goals.

How Dembélé would have relished facing his former club — the Catalans he left in 2023 after six years marked by flashes of brilliance, inconsistency, and persistent injuries.

The 28-year-old could have gone head-to-head with Lamine Yamal, the teenager he narrowly beat to the Ballon d’Or but who did claim the Kopa Trophy as the world’s best player under 21 last season.

However, Dembélé is still recovering from a thigh injury sustained on international duty with France earlier this month and is not expected back for at least another couple of weeks.

“It is going well. I will be back very soon,” Dembélé told French television after taking the acclaim of the PSG support as he paraded the Ballon d’Or trophy following Saturday’s 2-0 win against Auxerre.