Luis Enrique and Ousmane Dembélé’s status for PSG vs. Inter Miami for Club World Cup: ‘I don’t like to take risks’

Ousmane Dembélé’s participation in the FIFA Club World Cup—despite being one of the top contenders for the Ballon d’Or—remains uncertain.

While PSG head coach Luis Enrique stated today that the French winger is ready for the Round of 16 clash against Inter Miami, he also emphasized that he doesn’t like taking any risks with his players.

“I can tell you he’s ready, but as you know, I don’t like to take any risks with my players,” said the Spanish coach during the pre-match press conference ahead of today’s game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, where both teams will be fighting for one of the eight spots in the quarterfinals.

Why hasn’t Ousmane Dembélé played in the Club World Cup?

The French forward, who had a standout season with PSG and helped the club secure its first-ever UEFA Champions League title, has yet to feature in this summer’s tournament due to a muscle injury in his left quadriceps.

In fact, the last time Dembélé saw playing time was during the UEFA Nations League semifinals with the French national team. He played 76 minutes in the match against Spain before being substituted out in a game France eventually lost.