Arsenal has been handed a significant boost ahead of their upcoming Champions League semi-final second leg against Paris Saint-Germain after the French club confirmed an injury to key player Ousmane Dembélé. The attacker scored the only goal in PSG’s 1-0 win over Arsenal at the Emirates but now faces uncertainty over his participation in the return leg due to a hamstring issue.
Dembélé was substituted in the second half of the first leg, and PSG’s medical team confirmed the injury on Friday. According to reports, PSG announced that the winger had strained his right hamstring, with further assessments scheduled to determine his recovery progress.
“I’m going to try to get Dembele back on the pitch. If Ousmane can play, that’s better; if he doesn’t, we’ll still be a real team,” PSG manager Luis Enrique said following the first leg. Enrique’s optimism, however, hasn’t been enough to guarantee Dembélé’s fitness for the crucial second leg.
Meanwhile, Arsenal’s manager, Mikel Arteta, has also been facing concerns about the availability of two key players for the return fixture in Paris. Jorginho and Riccardo Calafiori are unlikely to feature, though the latter is expected to return to the squad soon.
Arsenal could also be hopeful about the return of Kai Havertz, who is recovering from a hamstring injury. Arteta mentioned that if Havertz’s recovery goes as planned, he might be available to play before the season ends.
Article updated 5 months ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
