Dembele fit for PSG's Champions League clash against Bayern

Paris, Nov 3 (IANS) Paris Saint-Germain have received a timely boost ahead of their Champions League showdown with Bayern Munich, as manager Luis Enrique confirmed that Ousmane Dembele is fit and available for selection.

The French winger, who played a key role in PSG’s victory over Bayern in the Club World Cup quarter-finals, had been a fitness concern after feeling discomfort in his right thigh during last week’s Ligue 1 clash with Lorient. Dembele was limited to just 18 minutes in Saturday’s game against Nice, prompting doubts about his readiness for the midweek fixture.

However, Enrique dispelled those concerns during Monday’s press conference, revealing that Dembele had trained fully and was “ready to play at 100%”. The 28-year-old had previously scored a stoppage-time goal in PSG’s 2-0 win over a nine-man Bayern side in July, and his return provides a major boost to the French champions’ attack as they prepare for another high-stakes meeting with the German giants at the Parc des Princes.

"We do not take risks with any players. But Ousmane Dembele is fit, he has been in every training session for the last two weeks," Luis Enrique told reporters on Monday.

"He is improving his physical fitness and he will certainly play tomorrow. I do not know for how many minutes, but he will play because he is ready to compete."

Bayern Munich have been in imperious form since their defeat to European champions Paris Saint-Germain, winning all 15 competitive matches that followed, including a perfect nine-game streak in the Bundesliga.

Both Bayern and PSG boast flawless records in the Champions League this season, having won all three of their group-stage fixtures and remaining level on goal difference.

Meanwhile, PSG are unbeaten in their last eight competitive outings, and manager Enrique expressed confidence that his side can extend that impressive run when they host the German champions.

"We know how difficult it will be. We are ready and motivated to win," he said.

"I think there will be similar situations to what we saw in the United States last summer, with lots of intensity... in front of our supporters, with the atmosphere we created every game, we're confident that we can improve our performance level to try to overcome their pressure."

--IANS

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