UEFA Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) have criticised the “serious and avoidable” injuries suffered by Ousmane Dembele and Desire Doue while on international duty with France.
Both players limped off during Les Bleus’ 2026 World Cup qualifying win over Ukraine on Friday; Dembele with a hamstring injury that will sideline him for around six weeks, and Doue with a calf issue expected to keep him out for four weeks.
In a strongly worded statement on Sunday, PSG announced that they had sent a letter to the French Football Federation (FFF), demanding improved “medical and sporting coordination between clubs and the national team.”
The club claimed they had shared “concrete medical information” about the players’ workload and injury risks before the international break, but said their warnings were ignored.
“PSG regret that these medical recommendations were not taken into account by the national team medical staff,” the statement read. “The total lack of consultation with our medical teams led to serious and avoidable incidents.”
The French champions called for a new, transparent medical protocol ensuring systematic communication between club and national team doctors.
France coach Didier Deschamps responded by saying he understood PSG’s frustrations but insisted there is “no such thing as zero risk” when managing players.
“If I were at a club, I would feel the same way,” Deschamps admitted. “But sometimes the player feels ready, and we take that into account.”
The injuries rule Dembélé and Doué out of PSG’s first domestic game after the international break, as well as their Champions League opener against Atalanta on September 17. Both are also major doubts for the trip to Barcelona in October.
