Ousmane Dembele fit for PSG vs Arsenal in UCL final

Ousmane Dembele has publicly declared he will be fit to start for Paris Saint-Germain against Arsenal in the Champions League final on May 30, moving to reassure supporters after a right calf scare forced him off in the first half of PSG’s 2-1 defeat to city rivals Paris FC last weekend.

The Ballon d’Or winner went straight down the tunnel after leaving the pitch and concern intensified on Wednesday when he was absent from PSG training, raising questions about his availability for what is arguably the biggest game in either club’s recent history. Dembele has now addressed those concerns directly, telling RMC Sport in no uncertain terms that his fitness will not be a problem.

“I’m doing very well,” he told the broadcaster. “I had a slight scare against Paris FC, but I’m fine and I’ll be ready for the final. Will I be 100 per cent for the final? Yes, I think so. Yes, I’ll be ready. I have no doubt about it. I hope to be on the pitch on May 30th.”

Dembele explains why the substitution against Paris FC was precautionary

The 28-year-old, who joined PSG from Barcelona, has dealt with recurring calf problems throughout the current campaign. He played just 1,062 minutes in Ligue 1 as PSG clinched a fifth consecutive French title, with two separate calf issues and a period of illness combining to sideline him for 19 games across the season.

Given that history, Dembele said the decision to come off against Paris FC was driven by caution rather than the severity of any new injury. “I’ve had so many minor scares or major injuries in my career, whether here at PSG or even before, especially with the big matches coming up, especially this final, I preferred to stop and above all not take any risks,” he explained.

Luis Enrique echoed that message in his own press conference on Wednesday, insisting there is no major cause for alarm heading into the two-week build-up that now separates PSG from their appointment in Budapest.

PSG injury update ahead of the Arsenal Champions League final

While Dembele’s fitness has dominated the headlines, Arsenal, who confirmed their Premier League title in midweek, have a dead-rubber fixture against Crystal Palace this weekend before their own preparations for Budapest begin in earnest. PSG, by contrast, have no more competitive fixtures scheduled, leaving Luis Enrique with a fortnight to manage his squad’s fitness and sharpness.

Enrique addressed that challenge at his Wednesday press conference: “The program is not yet fully established. We’re going to do a little bit of everything. Rest too, because that’s important. We should also play a small friendly match, among ourselves.”

There is positive news on the defensive front for PSG. Both Nuno Mendes and Willian Pacho have returned to light team training. Neither player featured in any of PSG’s three matches since the club booked their place in the final by beating Bayern Munich on May 6, including the 2-0 victory over Lens that clinched the Ligue 1 title. Their return to training ahead of the two-week window is an encouraging sign for Enrique.

Fellow defender Achraf Hakimi did not participate in the team session but his recovery from a hamstring injury is progressing well. The right-back has returned to individual training and is expected to be available for the final in Budapest. Squad players Lucas Chevalier and Quentin Ndjanto are also on course to return from minor issues, though neither is expected to be involved in the starting lineup for PSG in the Champions League final against Arsenal on May 30.