Paris Saint-Germain’s final preparations for the Champions League showpiece against Arsenal are being conducted under a cloud of uncertainty, as two of their most influential players race against the clock to prove their fitness. A behind-closed-doors internal match at the club’s Poissy campus on Saturday offered a glimpse into the squad’s current state, but the most telling narratives revolved around the names missing from the team sheet.
The session, played in sweltering heat in front of dozens of young supporters and hardcore ultras, featured mixed lineups reinforced by academy prospects Cordier, Fanné-Dramé, Khafi, and Abo El Nay. It also marked the encouraging returns of Nuno Mendes and Willian Pacho, both of whom had been rested in recent outings. The match, consisting of two 20-minute periods with no restrictions on contact, saw goals from Vitinha and Fabian Ruiz, while the morning had been dedicated to video analysis of Arsenal’s patterns. Yet for all the positives, the focus quickly shifted to the absentees.
Achraf Hakimi and Ousmane Dembélé were conspicuous by their absence from the intra-squad clash, and their situations dominate the narrative in the final week before Budapest. Hakimi is nursing a thigh injury suffered during the epic Champions League semi-final first leg against Bayern Munich on April 28, a night that saw PSG prevail 5-4 in a thriller. The Moroccan right-back has since been limited to individual work, and while his return to collective training is described as imminent, the clock is working against him. Sources indicate that even a swift reintegration may not be enough for him to start the final, raising the spectre of a reshuffled backline.
Dembélé’s case is subtly different but no less concerning. The Ballon d’Or winner was substituted during the recent domestic encounter with Paris FC after feeling discomfort in his right calf. He has since been vocal in downplaying the issue, insisting publicly that he will be ready to take the field next Saturday. His individual program continued over the weekend, and the mood within his camp remains bullish. However, the real test arrives on Tuesday, when PSG resume full training. If Dembélé fails to take part in that session, the questions surrounding his availability will become far more urgent.
The timing could hardly be more delicate. PSG are chasing the one prize that has so far eluded them, and to do so against an Arsenal side that has blended defensive resilience with attacking verve means every weapon counts. Hakimi’s marauding runs from right-back and Dembélé’s ability to unlock defences with dribbling and vision are integral to Luis Enrique’s game plan. Without them, the Parisians lose not only individual quality but also the tactical unpredictability that has carried them through the knockout rounds.
History offers little comfort. PSG’s previous appearance in a Champions League final, in 2020, ended in a narrow defeat to Bayern Munich, a match in which their star-studded attack faltered. The scars from that night linger, and the club’s hierarchy has invested heavily to ensure a different outcome this time. To have key personnel sidelined so close to the occasion would be a bitter blow, testing the depth of a squad that has been carefully constructed for exactly this moment.
Should Hakimi be ruled out, the likely replacement would be Nordi Mukiele or a shift to a back three, which would alter the dynamic against Arsenal’s potent left flank. Dembélé’s absence, meanwhile, would rob PSG of their most in-form forward and force a reliance on alternatives who, while talented, lack his explosive match-winning ability. The internal match hinted at potential solutions, with the returning Mendes and Pacho offering defensive solidity, but the attacking chemistry remains dependent on the Frenchman’s fitness.
Luis Enrique and his medical staff face a series of critical decisions in the coming days. The priority is to balance the risk of aggravation against the necessity of having the duo on the pitch. The Tuesday session will be a make-or-break checkpoint, not only for Dembélé’s calf but also for Hakimi’s thigh, as any setback then would likely close the door definitively. The coming days will be filled with round-the-clock treatment and carefully managed workloads.
The players themselves appear acutely aware of the stakes. Dembélé has sought to project calm, a seasoned professional understanding that public panic serves no purpose. Hakimi, meanwhile, will be driven by the memory of his instrumental role in the semi-final, where his attacking forays caused Bayern constant problems. Both will be doing everything within their power to hear their names read out at the Puskás Aréna.
For now, the Parisian faithful can only watch and wait, hoping that the sight of their stars back in full training will arrive before it is too late. The internal match served its purpose in maintaining sharpness, but the real game is being played in the treatment room. As the countdown to the final accelerates, the narrative of PSG’s season is being written not by goals or tactics, but by fitness tests and recovery timelines.
Based on reporting from L'Equipe.
