Rabat – Paris Saint-Germain have decided to give Ousmane Dembélé a period of rest, meaning the French star will miss the club’s Ligue 1 clash against Lille on Friday, according to L’équipe.
The decision was made jointly by Dembélé, the coaching staff, and PSG’s sporting management. The club did not indicate that the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner is suffering from an injury.
Dembélé is expected to return to training next Monday as PSG look to manage his workload during the early stages of the new season.
Dembélé’s return after the World Cup
Dembélé returned to PSG training around two weeks ago after a short spell with the French national team at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
He subsequently came off the bench against Aston Villa in the UEFA Super Cup, providing an assist in PSG’s 2-1 victory.
The French forward also featured against Lens in the Champions Trophy before starting PSG’s opening Ligue 1 game against Rennes.
Dembélé failed to convert a scoring opportunity in that match and was substituted at half-time.
PSG manage Ballon d’Or winner’s workload
PSG’s decision to rest Dembélé comes as the club aims to maintain the fitness of one of its most important players during a demanding start to the campaign.
His absence will be a blow for the French champions as they prepare to face Lille in the second round of Ligue 1.
PSG began their title defense with a 2-2 draw against Rennes. The champions found themselves two goals behind before new signing Ferran Torres scored twice to rescue a point.
With Dembélé unavailable against Lille, PSG will have to rely on their other attacking options as they look for their first league victory of the season.
