PSG is preparing to take a first test on Wednesday. The double European champion is indeed expected on the Manchester City pitch for the second day of the Champions League. The scandal which has hit the Citizens for several weeks has so far had little effect on Enzo Maresca’s men, authors of a flawless performance in the Premier League with six victories in six matches and winner in Porto for their first match in C1.
The challenge promises to be significant for the capital club and to this end, Luis Enrique did not hesitate to rotate, on Saturday, against Le Mans, fielding a team deprived of most of its executives. Apart from Achraf Hakimi and Joao Neves, all the usual starters were on the bench or even resting like Ousmane Dembélé.
“We decided that Nuno Mendes and Ousmane Dembélé had to rest to prepare for the Ligue 1 and Champions League matches. It will be something normal this season,” Luis Enrique warned at a press conference, justifying this rest by the three matches played by the former Rennais with the Blues.
“After a while things will get messy in his head.”
This is already the second time – in six matches – that the Norman has been put to rest and this treatment clearly does not please Christophe Dugarry. “ Ousmane Dembélé, PSG must have data that we don’t have, but I think that at one point it will go to clash. His matches with Paris are average, those with the French team too, after a while it will become chaotic in his head” warned the former world champion.
“Are they afraid that he will get injured or is it so that he arrives in good shape in February? But between now and February, how long are you going to leave it resting? I find this way of doing things more than surprising, he continued. And if he doesn’t get back to a good level, what do you explain to him, to the one who is the Ballon d’Or, who extended his contract with an astronomical salary, who is supposed to be performing well with the Blues, what do you explain to him? »
“It doesn’t matter, he’s the Ballon d’Or… Do you realize the image you project of the Ballon d’Or? he insisted.
He obviously deserved it, but having him play one match in three, what’s the idea? Last year he only had nine starts in Ligue 1.”
