Paris Saint-Germain’s (PSG) Champions League defence kicks off this week, but questions remain over whether their battle-weary squad can handle another punishing campaign.
The holders host Atalanta on Wednesday in their opening league phase match, three months after a stunning 5-0 demolition of Inter Milan in last season’s final.
Luis Enrique’s side face a brutal fixture list, with Bayern Munich, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle also in their group, plus away trips to Barcelona, Leverkusen, Bilbao and Sporting Lisbon.
PSG stumbled through the early stages last season, losing three of their eight group matches, yet surged to their first-ever European crown after Christmas. But the fear now is that last year’s 65-game marathon could catch up with them.
The Parisians, who also went deep in the Club World Cup before losing to Chelsea in July, have been hit by mounting injuries. Ousmane Dembélé and Désiré Doué are sidelined with muscle problems, while Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Lee Kang-in and Lucas Beraldo all limped off in Sunday’s 2-0 win over Lens.
Enrique – himself recovering from a cycling accident – admitted: “It is a difficult time because we have a lot of players injured. But I am calm and confident we can manage.”
Concerns are particularly acute over Achraf Hakimi, PSG’s most-used player last term, who also faces a heavy workload with Morocco at the Africa Cup of Nations. The club opted against adding depth in key positions this summer, raising fears of burnout later in the season.
Global players’ union FIFPro has warned of a “workload crisis” across football, insisting injuries are an inevitable result of the congested calendar. With a World Cup at the end of this season, PSG’s challenges are only set to intensify.
Yet despite the doubts, excitement is high as PSG prepare to defend their crown. Enrique added: “It is a special moment. We know how difficult this competition is, but we are relaxed and ready to perform.”
