A Comeback Without a Date

The Paris Saint-Germain dressing room is holding its breath. The absence of Ousmane Dembélé, the freshly crowned Ballon d’Or winner, has become the biggest question mark of the season. Ahead of PSG’s clash with Strasbourg, Luis Enrique didn’t hide his uncertainty: “I don’t know when he’ll be back.”

The Spanish coach avoided setting any timetable and stressed the club’s cautious approach. “In elite football, injuries are part of the game. Our job is to protect our players’ health,” he explained. His words only deepened the mystery: no one knows when PSG’s biggest star will return, and his absence is starting to take its toll both in Ligue 1 and in Europe.

An Injury That Changed Everything

Dembélé suffered a hamstring tear in his right leg during France’s match against Ukraine, just minutes after coming on as a substitute. The setback came at the worst possible time, sidelining him for several weeks and sparking tension between PSG and the French Football Federation.

The Parisian club had warned national team staff about the player’s workload, but their medical recommendations weren’t followed. Since then, PSG has pushed for new medical coordination protocols between clubs and federations to avoid similar incidents in the future.

The Worst Timing for the World’s Best

The injury couldn’t have come at a worse moment. Dembélé, now recognized as the best player in the world, was leading PSG’s revival with dazzling performances, leadership, and consistency. His setback has halted that momentum, leaving the team without its key difference-maker.

While Luis Enrique insists on patience, reality is setting in: neither he nor PSG’s medical staff can give a return date. For now, all Paris can do is wait — because the best player on the planet remains on pause, and no one knows for how long.