Ousmane Dembele has reassured fans he will “be fine” after picking up a hamstring injury during Paris Saint-Germain’s narrow Champions League semi-final win over Arsenal.
The Frenchman found the net just three minutes into the first leg clash at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday, finishing off a slick move with a calm strike from Joao Neves’ cutback.
That goal proved decisive, as PSG left London with a 1-0 advantage.
However, Dembele’s evening ended prematurely when he was forced off with 20 minutes remaining, clutching his right hamstring in discomfort.
He was replaced by Bradley Barcola, and the sight of the winger limping off sent alarm bells ringing for the Ligue 1 giants ahead of the second leg.
With 33 goals and 12 assists across all competitions this season, Dembele has been a central figure in Luis Enrique’s plans.
The manager’s choice to make him a key attacking outlet has paid dividends but has now left the club concerned about his availability for the return leg at Parc des Princes.
Arsenal will certainly hope Dembele misses next week’s encounter, but that wish may go unfulfilled.
As he exited the stadium and boarded the PSG team bus, the 26-year-old was heard delivering an encouraging update.
According to RMC Sport, Dembele told reporters, “It’s going to be fine.”
Despite the player’s optimism, his coach remains cautious. When asked about the injury, Enrique responded, “I don’t know. He’ll undergo tests tomorrow. It’s not serious. It’s something very minor, but he’s probably a doubt for the second leg.
“We’re going to try to get Dembele back on the pitch. But we’re a real team. If Ousmane can play, that’s better. But if he doesn’t, we’ll still be a real team. We’ve been saying that since the start of the season.”
Dembele’s teammates share his hopeful outlook. Achraf Hakimi, who was seen chatting with the winger before his substitution, confirmed that Dembele was in good spirits.
Speaking to Canal+, Hakimi said, “I spoke with him a little, he’s calm, he told me he’s fine. I hope he’ll be with us next Tuesday. He did his job, he scored a
