Paris, November 4, 2025 — Bayern Munich handed reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain a 2-1 defeat at the Parc des Princes on Tuesday night, but the spotlight quickly turned to Ousmane Dembélé, who was forced off midway through the first half.
Luis Díaz emerged as Bayern’s hero, scoring twice before being sent off late in the second half. João Neves managed to pull one back for PSG, but Bayern held firm despite finishing with ten men, extending their unbeaten run across all competitions.
Dembélé’s exit in the 25th minute raised immediate concerns about a possible recurrence of his hamstring injury. The 2025 Ballon d’Or winner, who had only recently returned from a right hamstring problem sustained in September while on international duty with France, was replaced by South Korean midfielder Kang-in Lee.
Just minutes before being substituted, Dembélé thought he had given PSG the lead. The winger connected with a low cross from Fabián Ruiz and guided the ball into the net with his chest, only for referee Maurizio Mariani to disallow the goal following a quick VAR review for offside.
On the eve of the match, PSG coach Luis Enrique assured reporters that Dembélé was fully fit. “I never take any risks with any player,” Enrique said on Monday. “Ousmane is fit, he has done all the training sessions in the last two weeks, and he has taken part in the last two matches.”
However, footage from PSG’s 2-0 victory over Nice on Saturday showed Dembélé clutching the back of his leg and telling teammates, “My hamstring hurts, it really hurts,” during post-match celebrations. Those words now appear ominously prophetic.
With Désiré Doué already sidelined with a right thigh injury, Dembélé’s potential setback adds to PSG’s attacking concerns as they prepare for the return fixture in Munich. Meanwhile, Bayern continue to impress under Thomas Tuchel, maintaining a flawless start to both their Bundesliga and Champions League campaigns.
The result leaves PSG second in their group, trailing Bayern, who top the table with maximum points. While Díaz’s performance and Bayern’s discipline earned praise, the evening’s defining image remains Dembélé’s look of discomfort — a reminder that for all his brilliance, his battles with injury are far from over.
This article was created using automation technology and was thoroughly edited and fact-checked by one of our editorial staff members