This is the tile that no one had seen coming. While Paris Saint-Germain was preparing its crucial trip to the lawn of FC Barcelona, the club announced this Friday the package of its captain. Marquinhos, affected by the quadriceps, will be absent “several weeks” and will therefore miss the first major European meeting of the season. A terrible blow for Luis Enrique, who loses his defensive boss.
An overflowing PSG infirmary
But the Brazilian is unfortunately not alone to garnish the ranks of the Parisian infirmary. The list of absent for this shock at the top is enough to give cold sweats. Ousmane Dembélé, all fresh Ballon d'Or, is still in rehabilitation after his injury to the ischio contracted in selection. Defender Lucas Beraldo recalls an ankle sprain.
And that's not all. Other frames are very uncertain. The Portuguese midfielder João Neves has still not resumed collective training. Him and gifted “Pursue their rehabilitation process”. In short, it is a real massacre that strikes PSG at worst moments.
A decimated spine
With so many absences, the whole spine of the team is decimated. Luis Enrique will have to tinker, throw “titis” faster than expected, and pray that there is no new breakage. The challenge that awaits Parisians in Catalonia is immense: to face one of the best teams in Europe without its captain, without its best player, and with a potentially experimental midfielder.
Fortunately for Paris, this is only a regular phase match. A defeat would not be prohibitive for qualification. But this trip promises to be a real test of character for a group that will prove that it has the resources to overcome this incredible unluckiness.
