PSG Left Fuming After Key Duo Pick Up Injuries on International Duty

PSG officials are fuming after Ousmane Dembele and Desire Doue picked up injuries while on duty with the French national team. Dembele sustained a thigh lesion, while Doue suffered a calf injury.

Accused by PSG of overworking Dembele and Doue, leading to their serious injuries, the French Football Federation (FFF) has responded through its president, Philippe Diallo.

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According to L'Equipe and other French publications, Diallo sent a letter on Monday to Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, president of the European champions, in an attempt to de-escalate the situation and defend the Les Bleus medical staff and coach Didier Deschamps.

The letter emphasises the FFF's "absolute trust" in Deschamps and his technical staff. It also calls for a review of the saturated international match calendar and stresses the importance of continued collaboration between clubs and Les Bleus.

In closing, the FFF chief highlighted that "the national team must always come first" and that "the only opponent is Iceland," whom France is set to face on Tuesday.

Former French international Christophe Dugarry reacted less diplomatically. The 1998 World Cup winner addressed the criticism leveled at Deschamps' staff during the "Rothen s’enflamme" show on RMC.

According to Dugarry, the responsibility does not lie with the national team: "I am one hundred percent behind Deschamps. Dembele's injury is primarily PSG's fault. We've seen him in a fragile state for years, and now he's paid the price for a long season."

Following a thigh injury that will sideline Dembele for six to eight weeks, PSG expressed frustration over the national team's management of the player, but Dugarry dismisses the Parisian club's criticism.

"The manipulation PSG is trying to implement is scandalous and disrespectful to the national team and to Didier Deschamps. PSG is solely responsible for Dembele's workload," Dugarry asserted.

Following the injuries to Dembele and Doue in the match against Ukraine, PSG called for "a more transparent and collaborative framework" to prioritise the health of its players and expressed regret that its medical recommendations "were not taken into account."

The French champions stated they provided detailed medical information before Les Bleus training sessions and sought to establish documented, systematic, and reciprocal exchanges between the club's and national team's medical staff to "strengthen the principle of caution when selecting players with ongoing conditions."

In conclusion, given the "recent incidents," PSG requested "prompt and immediate corrective measures" and pledged to actively participate in this effort for the benefit of players and professional football.