Dembele inches closer to the pitch as Doue targets a pre-Christmas return, offering PSG hope amid their injury concerns.
Both injured twice since the start of the season, Ousmane Dembele and Desire Doue are expected to play again for Paris Saint-Germain before the end of the year, contrary to Achraf Hakimi. Dembele is the closest to a return, but Luis Enrique does not want to rush anything, as with Doue.
Luis Enrique did not confirm on Tuesday, on the eve of PSG vs. Tottenham, the presence of Ousmane Dembele tomorrow against Spurs, but the 2025 Ballon d'Or winner is closer than ever to a return after participating in the last three collective training sessions, three weeks after his left calf injury against Bayern Munich.
"Will Dembele be fit to face Tottenham? We will see tomorrow," replied Luis Enrique early Tuesday afternoon. "If there is no problem, he will be on the squad list." Pressed further on the condition of his No. 10, who was also injured in the thigh on Sept. 5 with the French national team, the Spaniard confirmed that he will be very cautious before making him play again.
"Whenever a player returns from injury, it's difficult to know how to manage it. If we're talking about Ousmane, of course, we are going to be more attentive than usual. Because we love to have Ousmane back, but we have to be attentive," Luis Enrique acknowledged honestly, who, according to Le Parisien, wishes to be even more cautious than before with his players returning from injury.
Initially expected around the end of 2025 or mid-January 2026, Desire Doue will obviously not play this Wednesday against Tottenham as he is still not training with his teammates after his thigh injury on Oct. 29 in Lorient. But the news is good for the Parisian No. 14.
According to Le Parisien, Doue is expected to resume individual on-field exercises next week and internally, "they believe he is capable of returning before Christmas," the regional daily reports. It is therefore not impossible to see the former Rennes player participate in the Intercontinental Cup on Dec. 17 in Doha, or even in the French Cup round of 64 on the weekend of Dec. 20-21, but as with Dembele, the staff will be very attentive and will take no risks with him.
In recent days, Achraf Hakimi confirmed to Canal+ his ambition to be back at 100% for the start of the Africa Cup of Nations, which begins on Dec. 21 in Morocco. A journalist asked Luis Enrique this Tuesday if he thought he could recover his right back before the end of 2025 and if he thought it was wise for him to participate in the African competition. To which "Lucho" replied curtly: "You have to ask Hakimi. I am the coach of Paris Saint-Germain. Tomorrow, we play against Tottenham, a Champions League match. I congratulate Hakimi for his trophy, but that is not the subject today."