PSG star in ‘race against time’ to be fit for Arsenal return leg after missing training

Paris Saint-Germain are sweating over an injury to Ousmane Dembele ahead of their Champions League semi-final second leg with Arsenal.

Dembele has been in excellent form for PSG this season and scored the only goal of the game in the fourth minute of the first leg to silence the Emirates on Tuesday night.

It took Dembele’s tally in the Champions League to eight this season and 33 in all competitions, with the Frenchman also providing three assists in Europe since the start of the campaign.

But the visitors were forced into a change in the 70th minute as Dembele complained of discomfort in his right hamstring.

Bradley Barcola came on in place of his fellow countryman for the remainder of the match and Luis Enrique confirmed after the final whistle that Dembele had sustained a ‘minor’ muscle problem.

‘I don’t know anything. The medical tests will take place tomorrow,’ the PSG head coach told reporters at his post-match press conference.

‘It’s nothing serious, it’s quite minor, but there’s a doubt for the return match.’

According to French publication RMC Sport, Dembele missed team training on Thursday and the attacker is expected to be spared for PSG’s Ligue 1 encounter with Strasbourg this weekend.

It’s claimed Dembele is in a ‘race against time’ and ‘doubtful’ for the return leg versus the Gunners, but PSG have not yet given up hope that their top goalscorer could be involved at the Parc des Princes.

The report adds that PSG do not want to take any risks and nobody inside the club are willing to divulge the results of medical tests or the severity of the injury at this stage.

PSG wing-back Achraf Hakimi praised Dembele after the side’s 1-0 win in north London and revealed his team-mate was ‘calm’ despite the concern over his fitness.

‘We did a good job. It’s not over yet,’ Hakimi said.

‘We had a good first match and the second one will be in Paris. We have to improve every match.

‘Dembele? I spoke with him. He’s calm. I hope he’ll be with us.’

Mikel Arteta is expected to field a new-look Arsenal team against Bournemouth on Saturday after Liverpool wrapped up the Premier League title with four games to spare last weekend.

The likes of Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and William Saliba are likely to be rested, while peripheral figures Raheem Sterling, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Kieran Tierney will all be pushing for starting roles.

It remains to be seen if Arteta will hand Thomas Partey minutes against the Cherries, with the central midfielder available to face PSG after missing the opening contest through suspension.

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