Ahead of their clash in the second leg of the Champions League semi-finals against Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) have been given a boost with news that striker Ousmane Dembele has recovered from a slight hamstring problem. There was a question-mark over the France striker playing in the second leg game at home because he had limped off midway through the second half of last week’s first leg at Emirates Stadium. PSG lead 1-0 in the two-legged semi-final.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, PSG coach Luis Enrique said Dembele, who scored the winner in London against Arsenal last week, has been training with his teammates for two days.
“I have him at my disposal tomorrow,” Enrique told journalists.
Dembele’s importance to PSG’s cause in the Champions League cannot be under-stated: when he scored against Arsenal, it was his eighth strike in nine Champions League appearances since the start of 2025.
After picking up the injury in the Champions League, Dembele was rested for PSG’s weekend clash against Strasbourg, where they lost 2-1 in Ligue 1. But PSG coach Enrique made massive changes to the starting XI compared to the one that played at the Emirates Stadium.
Both teams have a lot riding on the second leg game. Neither have won the Champions League in their history despite making it to the final once. PSG lost to Bayern Munich in its only Champions League final in 2020, while Arsenal was runner-up to Barcelona in 2006.
PSG defender Achraf Hakimi also spoke of Dembele’s presence in the squad.
“Ousmane is a different kind of player. He makes you want to go and watch the game in the stadium, he can change the course of a match at any moment, he’s a genius with the ball. We’re delighted to have him back,” Hakimi said before adding: “He really wants to play (against Arsenal).”
Dembele’s presence will be another reason that PSG start the game as favourites. In UEFA events, Arsenal have never overturned a home first leg defeat in European competition, losing all five two-legged matches when they trail after the first leg. On the other hand, PSG have won 18 of the 19 ties in which they won a first leg away.
“We’re bound to suffer because our opponents don’t have a favorable result,” Enrique told reporters. “We need to match our performance as closely as possible in the first leg to win the return leg and stay true to our ideas.”
(With inputs from the Associated Press)
