Just 26 minutes. That was the whole performance of the Ballon d’Or winner, Ousmane Dembele, in the first leg of the 2026 Champions League knockout phase game between PSG and home side Monaco.
Per Fabrizio Romano, the French superstar needed to be subbed off with an injury against Monaco. PSG were losing the game at the time of the substitution, making it an uphill battle, plus the added concern of how much Dembele hurt. At the end of the first half, PSG were able to tie the game at 2-2.
While PSG will obviously want to have Dembele fit, this time it came as a blessing in disguise. Luis Enrique sent Desiré Doué to the field for Dembele, and the French prospect scored almost immediately to pull one back as his team was losing 2-0. Then, moments before halftime, Achraf Hakimi scored the equalizer.
Dembele has a long list of injuries
Dembele winning Ballon d’Or was a huge redemption story after his ill-fated time in Barcelona. He went from prospect, to a player that never fulfilled his hype, to Ballon d’Or. However, what’s always been a detriment to his career is his long injury history. According to TransferMarkt, Dembele has missed 162 games in his career due to injury.
Just in the 2025-26 season, Dembele has been injured for 73 days with four different injuries, missing 11 games. Dembele has missed games this season due to hamstring and calf injuries, as well as fitness and illnesses. Now, PSG will be on the fence once again with the status of one of their best players.
PSG have plenty of depth offensively
Thankfully for the Parisians, they have plenty of options offensively to take care of Dembele while he recovers. Players like Bradley Barcola, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Desiré Doué, Ibrahim Mbaye, and even Gonçalo Ramos can play instead of Dembele.
While Dembele has all the talent in the world, PSG have the depth to try and not miss him. Still, when he is on the pitch, he is usually a difference-maker. For PSG’s sake, hopefully Dembele is able to return sooner rather than later.