Boureima Amadou
With the UEFA Champions League final against Arsenal just one week away, Paris Saint-Germain conducted an intense internal training match this Saturday. Notably absent from this friendly were Ousmane Dembélé, the 2025 Ballon d’Or recipient, and Moroccan defender Achraf Hakimi. However, there appears to be no significant concern regarding their availability for the highly anticipated clash with Arsenal.
As planned, Paris Saint-Germain maintained a high tempo on Saturday at their Campus de Poissy training ground. Following Luis Enrique’s announcement after the recent Ligue 1 defeat to Paris FC (2-1), an internal friendly fixture unfolded for over an hour, reportedly at a demanding pace.
no fitness worries for dembélé and hakimi, expected to start against arsenal
Two squads, designated ‘black’ and ‘white,’ competed in an eleven-a-side format. While the final score was not disclosed, Ibrahima Mbaye and Vitinha found the net for the white team. A thousand devoted ultras and a hundred children, specially invited by the club, had the opportunity to offer their final encouragement to the Parisians before their monumental encounter with the Gunners. A banner from the Collectif Ultras Paris proudly declared: “Once, it’s historic. Twice, it’s legendary,” underscoring the collective ambition to retain the Champions League title.
Ousmane Dembélé and Achraf Hakimi were the only two players to sit out this scrimmage. Hakimi, who sustained a thigh knock during the first leg of the Champions League semi-final against Bayern Munich on April 28 (a 5-4 victory), focused on individual training. Dembélé, experiencing discomfort in his calf following last Sunday’s match against Paris FC (2-1), remained in the care of the medical staff. Paris Saint-Germain remains unconcerned about the fitness of both players and is committed to taking no unnecessary risks with their recovery. Both Ousmane Dembélé and Achraf Hakimi are widely expected to be in the starting lineup for the Champions League final against Arsenal on May 30 in Budapest. President Al-Khelaifi, Luis Campos, Luis Enrique, and the entire squad received a resounding ovation from the PSG ultras, whose focus is already firmly set on the challenge posed by the Gunners.
