PSG Faces Arsenal Without Dembélé in Champions League Semifinal

PARIS, France — The suspense around Ousmane Dembélé’s participation in the UEFA Champions League semifinal has come to an end. Coach Luis Enrique announced that Dembélé will not start in the second leg against Arsenal, which kicks off Wednesday at 9 PM local time.

After scoring in the first leg, which ended in a 1-0 victory for PSG in London, Dembélé suffered a thigh injury that has ruled him out of the match. He will be replaced by Bradley Barcola, who will join Désiré Doué and Kvitcha Kvaratskhelia in a dynamic forward trio.

Enrique maintained a familiar starting lineup for the clash, with Marquinhos wearing the captain’s armband in defense alongside Willian Pacho. The rest of the team includes Gianluigi Donnarumma in goal, Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes as the wing-backs, and a midfield trio consisting of Vitinha, João Neves, and Fabian Ruiz.

Meanwhile, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has opted for a surprise choice by starting Mikel Merino at the front, instead of Leandro Trossard, who was tightly marked in the first leg. Partey is returning from suspension and will bolster the midfield alongside Declan Rice and Ødegaard, who is captaining the Gunners.

Arteta has also put his faith in Jurriën Timber, who makes a return from injury to reinforce the right flank, a decision that keeps players like Ben White and Riccardo Calafiori on the bench.

The expectation around Paris is palpable as PSG aims to secure a final spot on May 31 in Munich, needing to overcome Arsenal after their narrow first-leg win. Enrique remarked, “He is ready but he is not starting,” about Dembélé’s status.

This match is crucial for PSG as they try to eliminate Arsenal from the tournament and set up a final against Inter Milan, who defeated Barcelona in a thrilling match that ended 4-3 after extra time.