Football
PSG: Hakimi, Dembélé and Mendes all injured on the same night — a huge blow for the Paris stars
Three PSG stars injured in one night against Bayern: Hakimi (ankle), Dembélé (calf) and Mendes (knee). How long they are out and what it means for Paris.
It was supposed to be a Champions League blockbuster. It turned into a medical nightmare for Paris Saint-Germain. On Tuesday night at the Parc des Princes, PSG lost 2-1 to Bayern Munich — and, worse, lost three of its stars in a single evening: Achraf Hakimi, Ousmane Dembélé and Nuno Mendes.
The first blow came after just 25 minutes. Dembélé, the reigning Ballon d'Or winner, pulled up mid-sprint and immediately asked to come off. The diagnosis: a calf strain. The club confirmed he will be sidelined for "the next few weeks" — meaning he will miss France's upcoming World Cup qualifiers.
Then came the Hakimi drama. At the very end of the first half, the Moroccan full-back was caught by a wild tackle from Bayern winger Luis Díaz. The images travelled around the world: Hakimi in tears, helped off the pitch, then leaving the stadium on crutches with his left foot in a protective boot. The verdict: a severely sprained left ankle, several weeks out — some reports suggest up to six weeks. For Morocco, it is a major worry: the Africa Cup of Nations, hosted at home in December, is fast approaching.
As for Nuno Mendes, he finished the match, but the Portuguese left-back sprained his left knee. He will also miss several weeks. PSG confirmed all three injuries and promised a further medical update after the international break.
On the pitch, Bayern struck hard: Luis Díaz scored twice in the first half before being sent off just before the break for his tackle on Hakimi. João Neves pulled one back with a superb bicycle kick with 16 minutes remaining, but Paris could not find an equaliser. It is the first defeat of this season's competition for the reigning European champions.
For Luis Enrique, the headache begins now. Hakimi is irreplaceable on the right flank, Dembélé is the reigning best player in the world, and Mendes is one of the best left-backs on the planet. PSG host Tottenham on Wednesday, November 26 in the Champions League — without their three stars, the Paris coach will have to improvise. Désiré Doué, also still in rehabilitation, cannot fill every gap.
PSG's stars will therefore spend the coming weeks in the treatment room rather than on the pitch. Bad news for Paris — and for France, Morocco and Portugal, who will have to do without their key men at the most delicate moment of the season.