BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Paris Saint-Germain’s injury worries have cleared up ahead of the Champions League final against Arsenal on Saturday.
Forward Ousmane Dembélé has been managing a calf issue in the final weeks of the season but the reigning Ballon d’Or winner said Friday he was “100% ready and raring to go.”
There was more concern about the health of defender Achraf Hakimi, who hasn’t played since April 28 when he injured his right thigh against Bayern Munich in the semifinals.
However, the attacking right back, who was selected by Morocco for the World Cup this week, was also spotted in training on Tuesday and has been given the all-clear by PSG coach Luis Enrique, who said Hakimi was “OK and able to play tomorrow.”
PSG will be looking to successfully defend the title the team won in record-breaking fashion last year by 5-0 over Inter Milan — the most lopsided final in the competition’s 70-year history.
Dembélé was substituted in the first half of PSG’s final game in its latest title-winning campaign in Ligue 1, a loss to Paris FC on May 17.
“I wasn’t scared about missing the final,” Dembélé told a news conference at Puskas Arena in Budapest. “I stopped as soon as I felt the niggle (against Paris FC).”
Dembélé said the season has been “quite complicated for everyone at PSG” after reaching the final of the Club World Cup last summer, curtailing the team’s offseason and essentially meaning it has played all year round.
For that reason, Luis Enrique said one of his priorities in the lead-up to the final has been “managing rest time of my players during training” as much as studying Arsenal.
Timber back for Arsenal
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta also reported positive injury news, with Netherlands defender Jurrien Timber available after missing the last 2 1/2 months — 14 games across all competitions — because of ankle and groin injuries.
Without Timber, Arsenal would have been facing a serious problem at right back because Ben White is missing with knee ligament damage that ruled him out of contention for England’s squad for the World Cup.
PSG is strong down its left side through full back Nuno Mendes and winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
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