Ahead of the Arsenal clash, PSG suffer another injury to a key player. In their 2-1 loss to RC Strasbourg on Saturday, Paris Saint-Germain were handed another injury scare, which may have been a consequence of manager Luis Enrique’s decision to rest key players ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League semi-final second leg against Arsenal.
Despite PSG’s narrow 1-0 victory at the Emirates Stadium last week, Enrique elected to implement a significant rotation, resulting in ten alterations to his starting lineup, as the tie was in a precarious state. Joao Neves was the sole player to maintain his position from the midweek match against Arsenal. Despite the fact that the domestic title has already been secured, the loss was PSG’s second consecutive
Ligue 1 defeat, a trend that Enrique would have preferred to avoid in anticipation of a season-defining European fixture. However, the injury to midfielder Lee Kang-in was of greater concern. The South Korean, who had been on the substitute for the first leg against Arsenal, was involved in a severe collision with Strasbourg’s Valentin Barco in the latter stages of the first half.
He subsequently began the game on Saturday. Lee withdrew for treatment and did not return after the hiatus. He was succeeded by Désiré Doué. READ MORE: MARTIN ODEGAARD SLAMS ARSENAL TEAMMATES AFTER ‘UNACCEPTABLE’ DEFEAT TO BOURNEMOUTH This most recent setback is in addition to the growing fitness concerns that PSG is facing.
The club announced on Friday that Ousmane Dembélé, the hero of the first leg, is currently managing a hamstring strain. However, his condition is reported to be “progressing well,” and additional tests are scheduled. In the interim, Presnel Kimpembe, who has been absent for an extended period, is still unable to play due to bone edema in his right foot.
It is anticipated that he will be inactive for an additional few weeks.Arsenal are also grappling with injury concerns, as manager Mikel Arteta has acknowledged that Jurrien Timber is unlikely to participate in the club’s critical Champions League semi-final second leg against Paris Saint-Germain next week.
The Dutch defender was compelled to leave the field in the final minutes of the first leg at the Emirates on Tuesday.
Dembele’s goal gave PSG a 1-0 lead heading into the return match in Paris. Despite having taken an early lead in the encounter, Timber was subsequently excluded from the Arsenal squad for their 2-1 Premier League loss to Bournemouth on Saturday night.
Arteta verified that Timber had sustained an injury prior to the Bournemouth match. The Arsenal manager expressed pessimism when asked whether the 22-year-old would be able to be fit for the voyage to France following the match. “Are you certain?” Arteta informed reporters,
“No.” “Not at this time, as he was unable to play in this location and we have another match in four days.” Arsenal’s injury concerns persist in anticipation of their season-defining match. Kai Havertz, Gabriel Magalhães, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Gabriel Jesus, Jorginho, and Riccardo Calafiori are all currently unavailable.
On Saturday, there was also a new source of concern when captain Martin Ødegaard appeared to strike the ground in an awkward manner while attempting a shot late in the game. When asked about Ødegaard’s condition, Arteta responded, “I have not yet had the opportunity to speak with the doctor to obtain an update. Consequently, I am unaware.”
Leave a Reply