PSG’s Dembélé and Hakimi miss internal friendly ahead of Arsenal final

The Paris Saint-Germain squad convened for an internal friendly at the Poissy Campus this Saturday, just seven days before facing Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League final. While two key players were notably absent, the club remains confident about their readiness for the high-stakes showdown in Budapest.

Ousmane Dembélé and Achraf Hakimi did not participate in the intra-club match, though no concerns have been raised regarding their fitness. Hakimi, who sustained a thigh injury during the Champions League semi-final first leg against Bayern Munich, worked separately on recovery exercises. Dembélé, meanwhile, faced a calf issue during last Sunday’s league match against Paris FC, prompting medical staff to keep him out of the training session. Both players are expected to start when PSG takes on Arsenal on May 30.

Preparations intensify ahead of Champions League climax

With the stakes higher than ever, the internal friendly served as a final fitness check before the club’s biggest test of the season. The session, lasting just over an hour, maintained a demanding pace to mirror match conditions. Though the final score remained under wraps, Ibrahima Mbaye and Vitinha found the net for the white team, while the black team pushed hard in preparation for the final.

The atmosphere was electric, with 1,000 ultras and 100 young fans in attendance, their presence reinforcing the club’s unity ahead of the historic final. A banner from the Collectif Ultras Paris proclaimed, “Once is historic. Twice is legendary.”, capturing the club’s ambition to secure back-to-back Champions League titles. Club leadership, including president Nasser Al-Khelaifi and sporting director Luis Campos, along with head coach Luis Enrique, were greeted with a standing ovation from the fans, who are already focused on the showdown against the Gunners.

No risks taken for key players

Despite their absence from the friendly, both Dembélé and Hakimi are progressing as planned. The club’s medical team has assured supporters and observers that their injuries are not a cause for concern, with both players on track to feature in the final. The final decision will be made in the coming days, but optimism remains high within the dressing room.