Dembélé back in PSG squad for Leverkusen trip as Marquinhos returns

Ousmane Dembélé has been included in Paris Saint-Germain’s traveling squad for Tuesday’s Champions League match at Bayer Leverkusen after a six week layoff with a hamstring injury, the club announced Monday. Captain Marquinhos also returns to the group, while midfielders Fabián Ruiz and João Neves remain sidelined and will not travel.

Dembélé suffered the hamstring problem on September 5 while playing for France against Ukraine and has been in rehabilitation since. He resumed full training last week after a spell at a specialist clinic in Qatar and was withheld from PSG’s 3-3 draw with Strasbourg on Friday as a precaution. PSG coach Luis Enrique said the club would not risk players’ health, adding, “I do not know when the injured players will come back. We have training and I can see the level of the players during the sessions. We do not take any risks with the health of the players.”

The inclusion of Dembélé, the Ballon d’Or winner, is a timely boost for PSG as they seek a third straight victory in this season’s Champions League group stage. Dembélé played a central role in PSG’s successful 2024-25 campaign, contributing heavily to the club’s domestic and European form. He...