PARIS: Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday criticized the “serious and avoidable” injuries suffered by Ousmane Dembele and Desire Doue while on international duty with the France national team.
After the PSG stars were both forced off during France’s 2026 World Cup qualifying win over Ukraine on Friday, their club sent a letter to the French Football Federation (FFF) requesting better “medical and sporting coordination between clubs and the national team.”
PSG, who will be without a hamstrung Dembele for around six weeks and Doue for some four weeks with a calf issue, are “urgently requesting a new protocol... that is more transparent and collaborative” regarding player health, they announced in a statement on their website Sunday.
The European champions said they “had provided the FFF with concrete medical information, even before the French team gathered, on the acceptable workload and injury risks for their players.”
PSG added they “regret that these medical recommendations were not taken into account by the (national team) medical staff,” as well as criticizing “the total lack of consultation with their medical teams.”
The club reaffirmed their commitment to Les Bleus, but added the “serious and avoidable incidents” must serve as a catalyst for change, particularly in the case of players “underdoing treatment for a medical issue.”
“(PSG) hope that these regrettable events will pave the way for the establishment of a new formalized framework for medical coordination, ensuring systematic, documented and reciprocal exchanges between the medical staff of clubs and the national team,” they said.
France coach Didier Deschamps said he sympathized with the French Ligue 1 champions’ complaints.
“If I were at a club, I would feel the same way,” he said, before adding: “There is no such thing as zero risk. If you leave players on the bench, you’re not taking any risks...”
The 2018 World Cup winning coach went on to defend Les Bleus’ practices.
He cited the examples of William Saliba and Rayan Cherki, of Arsenal and Manchester City respectively, whose pre-existing injuries had been announced by their clubs and who Deschamps allowed to stay at home.
“The protocol stipulates that they must come and have their injuries assessed on Monday morning (at the national team’s training camp),” he said. “I didn’t make them come.”
Deschamps also added he takes “the player’s feelings” into account when deciding to play them.
Dembele and Doue will miss PSG’s first domestic match after the international break, as well as the start of their Champions League defense at home to Atalanta on September 17.
The pair will also be doubts for the trip to Barcelona in the league phase of Europe’s top club competition at the start of October.
Following a short pre-season after playing key roles in PSG’s run to the Club World Cup final in July, Dembele and Doue had appeared in all three of the Parisian club’s Ligue 1 outings before the international break.
PSG call for change after Dembele and Doue international duty injuries
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PSG call for change after Dembele and Doue international duty injuries
- Club writes French Football Federation requesting better “medical and sporting coordination between clubs and the national team”
- PSG will be without a hamstrung Dembele for around six weeks and Doue for some four weeks with a calf issue
Jeers as Real Madrid loses 2-1 to Man City and pressure grows on Alonso. Arsenal wins, PSG draws
- Record 15-time European champions Madrid are seventh in the standings, with only the top eight teams automatically advancing to the round of 16
- Italian champions Napoli lost 2-0 at Benfica, while Weston McKennie was on target for Juventus in a 2-0 win at Pafos
MANCHESTER, England: The pressure was already on Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso and a 2-1 defeat to Manchester City in the Champions League on Wednesday raised further questions about his future.
Arsenal remains perfect in this season’s competition and three points clear at the top of the standings after a 3-0 win against Club Brugge, while defending champion Paris Saint-Germain was held 0-0 at Athletic Bilbao.
The clash between Madrid and City was the standout game of the round and Alonso had faced reports this week that he had lost control of the locker room. Speculation over his position is likely to intensify after a latest defeat. It’s now just two wins in eight games for Madrid and back-to-back home losses.
There were jeers inside the Bernabeu at the final whistle.
“We know it’s a tough moment for us and for the coach,” Madrid winger Rodrygo said. “Things are not going our way and I wanted to show that we are behind our the coach. He has been trying. I wanted to show that we are together and we need to be united to keep moving forward and achieve our goals.”
Rodrygo had put Madrid in front in the 28th minute, but goals from Nico O’Reilly and Erling Haaland before halftime sealed victory for City.
Alonso looked frustrated on the sidelines as he watched his blunt attack waste chances to salvage something in the absence of the injured Kylian Mbappé, who was an unused substitute.
Vinicius Junior failed to hit the target with two chances from close range and Jude Bellingham lifted another effort over the bar with only the goalkeeper to beat.
Asked if he was worried about his future, Alonso said: “I’m worried about our next match. The important thing here is Real Madrid. It’s about the team, the players, and how I can help them. This isn’t about me.”
Bellingham said the squad was “100 percent” behind Alonso.
“The noise will not be helpful. So it’s about us trying to figure it out inside the dressing room,” Bellingham told TNT Sports.
Record 15-time European champion Madrid is seventh in the standings, with only the top eight teams automatically advancing to the round of 16.
“As a player inside the changing room, seeing what we’ve got in there, working with the coach every day, I think we have everything we need to turn it around,” Bellingham said.
Arsenal stays perfect
Top of the Premier League and top of the Champions League, too, Arsenal swept aside Club Brugge to maintain its 100 percent record in Europe.
Noni Madueke scored twice and Gabriel Martinelli got the other for Mikel Arteta’s team, which has seen its lead in England’s top flight cut from six points to two in recent weeks.
There are no such concerns in Europe.
“Our mentality is our strength,” Arteta said.
PSG couldn’t find a winner in Bilbao, but with 13 points after six games, the French giant has already equaled the total amount it picked up in the league phase last season before going on to win the trophy.
Italian champion Napoli lost 2-0 at Benfica, while Weston McKennie was on target for Juventus in a 2-0 win at Pafos.
Both Napoli and Juventus have only won two of their six games in the league phase.
Newcastle denied late
Alejandro Grimaldo made the difference again for Bayer Leverkusen, scoring in the 88th to rescue a 2-2 draw against Newcastle.
Leverkusen coach Kasper Hjulmand missed the game for personal reasons, the club said an hour before kickoff.
Jeers rang out at full time at Borussia Dortmund after Norway’s Bodo/Glimt sealed a 2-2 draw, equalizing twice after Julian Brandt goals for Dortmund.
The result helps neither team, with Dortmund’s chances of direct qualification for the round of 16 taking a dent. Bodo/Glimt has three draws but no wins in its debut Champions League season.
Ajax rallies to beat Qarabag
Ajax scored three goals late in the game to deny Qarabag a surprise win in one of the early kickoffs.
Four-time European champion Ajax twice trailed against its Azerbaijani opponent, but fought back to win 4-2 in Baku.
Qarabag has been one of the surprise packages in this season’s competition and led after 10 minutes through Camilo Duran. Matheus Silva scored two minutes into the second half to make it 2-1 after Kasper Dolberg had leveled for Ajax.
But Ajax powered back with three goals in 11 minutes. Oscar Gloukh scored in the 79th and 90th, with Anton Gaaei getting the other in the 82nd.
Copenhagen also scored late to win 3-2 at Villarreal.
Substitute Andreas Cornelius struck in the 90th to seal victory in a game where Copenhagen had twice been pegged back after taking the lead.
