France have suffered a major setback ahead of their World Cup qualifying clash with Ukraine, as PSG star Ousmane Dembélé is sidelined with a hamstring injury, according to French media.
L’Équipe reports that Dembélé sustained the injury during PSG’s 6-3 victory over Toulouse last Sunday. Although he joined the French camp afterward, he did not participate in Wednesday’s national team training due to the lingering effects of the injury, instead completing light individual exercises.
It is expected that Dembélé could return in the next match, but coach Didier Deschamps may be cautious about starting him against Ukraine in Friday’s tough encounter.
The timing of this injury is unfortunate, coming during what is arguably the peak of Dembélé’s career. Following PSG’s treble-winning season, he has been widely discussed as a contender for the Ballon d’Or.
If Dembélé is unable to feature against Ukraine, Deschamps will face the challenge of restructuring the attack without his top winger.
On a positive note, the rest of the French squad is in good shape. Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konaté and Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot have returned to full training, providing Deschamps with reassurance.
If all goes well, Dembélé could be back in action for France’s match against Iceland next Tuesday. In the meantime, Deschamps will rely on the strength of Kylian Mbappé and the midfield control of Aurélien Tchouaméni to lead the team.
