PSG are expected to be without Nuno Mendes for Tuesday's Champions League meeting with Barcelona after a left thigh injury. The club's medical bulletin says the left-back will be sidelined for several weeks, turning Paris Saint Germain's build-up to Paris Saint Germain vs Barcelona into a left-side selection problem.
Mendes' setback against Strasbourg
The injury came during PSG's 3-1 away win over Real Betis, where Mendes was replaced late in the match. A Bola put the change in the 86th minute, while other reports place it in the 87th, but the key point is the same: he finished the game after going down with the problem.
Luis Enrique had already tried to soften the concern. Speaking after the match, he said: "I don't know if we can talk about an injury." Tests have now done the talking for him.
PSG's left-back options
The obvious replacement is Lucas Digne, who is described as the natural alternative, but he has only 1 Champions League appearance for PSG this season. Warren Zaire-Emery has already been used there earlier in the season, while Lucas Hernández and João Neves have also been mentioned as emergency solutions.
That leaves PSG with a real decision on the eve of a tie that already looks like a problem on the left. Mendes has only 2 Champions League appearances for the club this season, but his absence still removes a player who had been part of a perfect European start.
Barcelona's own build-up has not been smooth either, after storm disruption kept the squad in Seville and cancelled a Sunday training session. Even so, they arrive with 2 wins from 2 in the Champions League, and Jules Koundé is likely to be asked to deal with a PSG left flank that no longer looks settled.
Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 6 outlets. How we work →
