PARIS: Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique insisted Saturday there was “no rush” to recruit during the winter transfer window despite injuries to key players Ousmane Dembele, Achraf Hakimi, and Nuno Mendes.
The trio will be out for several weeks after sustaining injuries in Tuesday’s bruising 2-1 Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich.
Ballon d’Or winner Dembele picked up a calf injury and needs a “few weeks” of treatment, the European champions said.
Hakimi was diagnosed with a severely sprained left ankle and faces several weeks out too, while Mendes sprained his left knee.
Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint-Germain are on the road at Lyon on Sunday.
“We are always open to transfer opportunities, but there’s no rush, no need to hurry,” Luis Enrique told a pre-match press conference.
The trio’s absence adds to a growing injury list that already included Desire Doue, who was stretchered off with a thigh problem in a Ligue 1 game at Lorient last week.
“Everything has to be planned,” the coach continued.
“There’s no problem, they’re injuries of course, but all teams have them. We’re calm and relaxed, not worried.”
Focusing on the positives of this “very unusual” start to the season, Luis Enrique added: “Every difficulty offers opportunities to give playing time to (other) players.”
South Korean winger Lee Kang-in could play his 100th match for PSG on Sunday.
Meanwhile Lyon captain Corentin Tolisso is doubtful with a hamstring injury, coach Paulo Fonseca announced.
“We’ll see if he can play, but I have my doubts,” Fonseca told a press conference.
“It’s very risky to play him. I don’t want to lose him for the upcoming matches.”
Attacking midfielder Pavel Sulc, Lyon’s top scorer, is also unavailable due to a hamstring injury.
Champions PSG are two points ahead of Marseille at the top of the table with Lyon four points behind the leaders in sixth.
Luis Enrique not rushing to recruit despite key PSG trio’s absence
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Luis Enrique not rushing to recruit despite key PSG trio’s absence
- The trio will be out for several weeks after sustaining injuries in Tuesday’s bruising 2-1 Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich
- “We are always open to transfer opportunities, but there’s no rush, no need to hurry,” Enrique said
Desert Vipers hold nerve to edge Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in ILT20 thriller
- Key contributions from Shimron Hetmyer and Khuzaima Tanveer prove decisive as the Vipers weather tense finish to overhaul target of 171
- Knight Riders start well, reaching 87 in 10 overs, but momentum shifts in second half of their inning as the Vipers’ spinners struck back
SHARJAH: Desert Vipers made it two wins out of two in the DP World International League T20, as they held their nerve to secure a dramatic two-wicket victory over Abu Dhabi Knight Riders at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Friday.
Shimron Hetmyer’s counterattacking 48 off 25 balls, and a late-order cameo from Khuzaima Tanveer, who hit 31 off just 12 deliveries, proved decisive as the Vipers weathered a tense finish to overhaul a target of 171.
Sent in to bat, the Knight Riders made a confident start through Phil Salt and Alex Hales, with the latter anchoring the inning to top-score with 53 off 37 balls.
Despite reaching 87 in 10 overs, however, the momentum shifted in the second half of the inning as the Vipers’ spinners began to strike regularly. Qais Ahmad and Noor Ahmad led the middle-overs fightback, dismissing Hales and triggering a collapse as the Knight Riders lost five wickets.
Andre Russell’s unbeaten 36, and useful contributions from Alishan Sharafu and Unmukt Chand, at least helped Abu Dhabi reach a competitive total, but they were unable to fully capitalize on the side’s strong opening.
The Vipers began explosively in reply, smashing a tournament-record 19 runs from the first over. However, early wickets then left them wobbling on 44/3. Sam Curran and Dan Lawrence rebuilt the attack before the latter combined with Hetmyer for a crucial 68-run stand that swung the contest back in the their favor.
Late strikes from Ajay Kumar and Russell, the latter dismissing Hetmyer for his 500th T20 wicket, set up a tense finish, but Tanveer delivered under pressure. Needing eight runs off the final over, he sealed victory with a six and a boundary.
“It was, in many ways, a fortunate escape but an outstanding result for us,” said Curran, the Vipers’ stand-in captain.
“ADKR possess a very powerful batting lineup, and I believe our bowlers performed exceptionally well throughout the innings. The dismissals of Hetmyer and Dan introduced an unexpected twist but the team showed commendable composure in the crucial moments.”
Knight Riders’ stand-in skipper Sunil Narine felt his side had been lacking with the bat: “We were 15-20 runs short. We began well in the powerplay and that phase was crucial for us.
“The conditions eventually worked in their favor and the dew made it challenging for our spinners. But at the end of the day that’s part of the game.”
The result leaves the Vipers well placed at this early stage of the tournament, while the Knight Riders were left to reflect on missed opportunities after such a strong start.
