Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele has officially returned to the Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) lineup ahead of their Champions League encounter with Bayer Leverkusen, marking his comeback after a six-week absence due to a hamstring injury.
Dembele, 28, sustained the injury while representing France during international duty in early September. After undergoing rehabilitation at a specialist clinic in Qatar, the French forward resumed full training last week, signaling his readiness for competitive action.
His return provides a major boost for coach Luis Enrique, whose squad has faced several injury setbacks this season. Although Dembele missed PSG’s thrilling 3-3 draw against Strasbourg last Friday, he is expected to feature in Tuesday’s away fixture in Germany as the European champions aim to maintain their perfect record in the group stage.
Speaking about his compatriot, Leverkusen centre-back Loic Bade praised Dembele’s versatility, calling him “a complete player with immense quality.” Bade remarked, “He’s strong with both feet and extremely unpredictable. The key to stopping him lies in team coordination and compact defending.”
PSG also welcomed the return of Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who made an appearance as a substitute in the Strasbourg game. However, midfielders Fabian Ruiz and Joao Neves remain unavailable. On the positive side, captain Marquinhos has rejoined the traveling squad to Germany.
Meanwhile, Leverkusen coach Kasper Hjulmand, who replaced Erik ten Hag earlier in the season, acknowledged PSG’s pressing game as both a “weapon and a risk,” emphasizing his team’s readiness to meet the challenge. “They’re a top-tier team, but we trust in our style and quality,” he said.
Leverkusen, the 2024 Bundesliga champions, have drawn their opening two Champions League matches against FC Copenhagen and PSV Eindhoven, and will look to secure their first win against a rejuvenated PSG side.