Paris Saint-Germain’s hopes of making a statement in the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League have suffered a worrying twist during the international break. France defeated Ukraine 2-0 in their opening World Cup qualifier, but the biggest talking point wasn’t Kylian Mbappe’s brilliance or Michael Olise’s early strike. Instead, all eyes turned to Ousmane Dembele, who limped off the pitch in the second half.
The timing could not be worse for PSG, who are just days away from their Champions League campaign, facing Atalanta on September 17 before a huge clash against Barcelona on October 1. But what happened to Dembele, and is it serious?
Didier Deschamps’ side started brightly in Wrocław, stamping their authority with quick passing and relentless pressing. It took just ten minutes for them to break through, as Bradley Barcola set up Michael Olise for the opener. The Bayern Munich winger calmly slotted home, giving Les Bleus the perfect start.
The second half saw Ukraine briefly threaten an upset. Ibrahima Konate was forced to clear off the line, and Illia Zabarnyi’s header rattled the post. But when the game hung in the balance, captain Kylian Mbappe delivered his 51st international goal, sealing a 2-0 victory.
PSG winger Ousmane Dembele.
Despite the win, the spotlight quickly shifted to PSG’s Ballon d’Or frontrunner. Dembele, who came on at halftime, lasted just over 30 minutes before pulling up and heading straight down the tunnel. The incident left both France and the Parisians’ supporters anxious. Some questioned why he had been risked at all, given his fitness concerns. As French media pointed out, he had been in doubt even before kick-off, managing an issue in training and missing last weekend’s Ligue 1 clash against Toulouse.
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What happened, and is the injury serious?
The truth is that Dembele’s substitution came due to a right hamstring injury, a new issue separate from the one that had troubled him previously. Reports suggest that while he didn’t appear in visible agony, the medical staff decided not to take any risks.
According to Telefoot’s Saber Desfarges, the star winger is now set to leave the France camp and undergo further tests in Paris. His availability for the Champions League fixtures against Atalanta and Barcelona remains in serious doubt. This has sparked outrage among some PSG fans, who criticized Deschamps’ decision to play him despite his uncertain fitness.
Les Bleus’ coach tried to ease the tension afterwards: “If I brought him on, it’s because he was doing fine; otherwise I wouldn’t bring him on,” Deschamps said. “Plus, it’s the other thigh, even though he didn’t feel anything severe. He was in good spirits. Unfortunately for him, it happened, but it could have happened to another player.”
As per the latest update by Fabrice Hawkins, Ousmane Dembele’s muscular issue would keep him out for six weeks.
