Earlier this week we reported on Ousmane Dembélé's scare against Paris Saint Germain. The new angle is Luis Enrique's insistence that his forward's value goes well beyond the final pass or the shot, even as PSG wait on a right-calf issue before the Arsenal final. Dembélé was withdrawn in the 28th minute against Paris FC after right-calf discomfort, and PSG said he will remain on the treatment table for the next few days.

Why Enrique keeps talking about Dembélé's defending

Luis Enrique's description of Dembélé was unusually blunt. Speaking to goal.com, he said: "It's the mentality of Ousmane. He defends all the time, regardless of the match or the minute." He added that people tend to focus on what the forward does offensively, while ignoring what he does without the ball. The manager even compared the idea to basketball, where a team has to attack and defend.

That matters because Dembélé has not been a passenger in attack. He has 10 Ligue 1 goals, 7 Ligue 1 assists and 7 Champions League goals in 12 appearances. PSG need that output, but Enrique is making a different point too, that Dembélé is now part of the team's defensive shape rather than just the end product.

The timing is awkward. The Champions League final is on May 30 at the Puskas Arena in Budapest, and PSG do not have much room for another setback.

PSG are still managing more than one fitness issue

Dembélé is not the only doubt in the squad. Achraf Hakimi is a marginal doubt after a hamstring problem against Bayern Munich in late April. Nuno Mendes and Willian Pacho missed PSG's final three Ligue 1 matches but are expected to recover in time.

Enrique has already said the programme is not fully set, with rest and even an internal friendly still on the agenda before the final. That is sensible, because the list of moving parts is long enough already.

Arsenal arrive with their own momentum. They beat Burnley 1-0 and are on a five-match winning run in the Champions League, while their record in the competition reads rank 1, 24 points, 23 goals for and 4 against. PSG's standing is rank 11, 14 points, 21 goals for and 11 against.

The debate around Dembélé's role is interesting, but the immediate question is more basic. If PSG are going to have him available in Budapest, they first have to get him through the next few days without the calf issue getting worse.

Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →