PARIS — Ousmane Dembélé, the Ballon d’Or winner, has been named in the Paris Saint-Germain squad set to face Bayer Leverkusen in their upcoming Champions League match on Tuesday, marking his return after being out for over six weeks due to a hamstring injury.
PSG captain Marquinhos is also back in the lineup after missing time with a thigh injury.
Dembélé sustained his injury on September 5 while representing France in a World Cup qualifying match against Ukraine, which France won 2-0.
When asked about Dembélé’s return, PSG’s coach, Luis Enrique, expressed his happiness at having more players available for selection.
He remarked, “You are very focused on the Ballon d’Or; Ousmane Dembélé is the same person and player. He stands out among others. We’re thrilled to have him back, along with Marquinhos and Désiré Doué, who returned last week.”
“It’s significant for the team to have these players back, as it gives us more options. Regardless, it all comes down to how the players feel today, and we will assess that as the match approaches.”
Looking ahead to the match against Leverkusen, Luis Enrique commented, “They have quality players who can defend deeply and apply pressure.”
“We must manage the game carefully, but we’re accustomed to facing various challenges in football. We are calm and prepared, with a final training session today to evaluate the players.”
PSG, the defending champions, have secured victories in their first two group stage matches, but they drew 3-3 against Strasbourg this past weekend and currently trail Marseille in the Ligue 1 standings.
After eight matches in France’s top division, PSG has five wins, two draws, and one loss, putting them just one point behind Roberto De Zerbi’s team.
Leverkusen’s manager, Kasper Hjulmand, expressed confidence in his team ahead of the PSG matchup.
After a challenging start to their Champions League campaign, Leverkusen sits in the elimination zone with only two points from two draws.
Their last match in the competition ended in a 1-1 stalemate with PSV, and they are coming off a hard-fought 4-3 victory over Mainz in the Bundesliga.
Information from The Associated Press and PA contributed to this report.