Paris Saint-Germain may have won one of the biggest games of their season, but the celebrations did not last long. A spectacular 4-2 Champions League victory over Barcelona came with a potentially devastating cost: a PSG injury crisis that could threaten the club’s ambitions on multiple fronts.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has torn the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee and will undergo surgery in the coming days, PSG confirmed Wednesday. The Georgian winger is widely expected to miss the remainder of the campaign, a crushing blow for the reigning European champions. And he was not the only casualty of Tuesday’s showdown. Ousmane Dembélé and captain Marquinhos also picked up injuries, adding to a list that already included left-back Nuno Mendes.
PSG came out of the Barcelona game with three points and a major statement of intent in Europe. They also came away with serious questions about how Luis Enrique will keep his team competing on multiple fronts while key players disappear from the lineup. The PSG injury crisis could turn a famous win into a costly turning point.
The Injury That Could Change PSG’s Season
Kvaratskhelia was forced off shortly before the hour mark after a collision with Barcelona’s Xavi Espart. The winger landed awkwardly on his right knee and could not put weight on the leg as medical staff helped him off the pitch. The initial images looked worrying; the subsequent diagnosis confirmed the worst.
The official PSG medical update confirmed the ACL tear and said the player would undergo surgery in the coming days. The club has not given a formal recovery timetable, but an injury of this severity typically requires many months of rehabilitation. Missing the rest of the season is a very real prospect.
That is a major loss for a team that has relied on Kvaratskhelia’s ability to beat defenders, create chances and change games in the final third. The 25-year-old was a key figure in PSG’s Champions League triumph last season, and his absence removes a dangerous attacking option just as the European campaign begins to gather momentum.
Two More Stars Went Down Against Barcelona
The damage did not stop with Kvaratskhelia. Dembélé lasted only about 20 minutes before coming off with a left-thigh injury. PSG says he will remain under treatment over the coming weeks, leaving the club without another major attacking threat for the immediate future.
Marquinhos also had to leave the game after suffering an injury to his right thigh. The Brazilian captain is expected to spend the coming weeks in treatment, according to the club. His absence could be especially awkward because he brings more than defensive ability: he is an experienced organizer and leader in a team facing a demanding schedule.
Those injuries came just days after Mendes was ruled out for several weeks with a thigh problem sustained in PSG’s 3-1 Ligue 1 win at Strasbourg on October 17. The Reuters report on Mendes’ injury confirmed the setback before the Barcelona match. PSG have now lost four important first-team players in a matter of days, affecting both their attacking options and their defensive structure.
PSG Won the Night. What Will It Cost Them?
The 4-2 win over Barcelona was a statement that PSG remain serious contenders in Europe. Yet the injuries have changed the mood around the result. Kvaratskhelia faces a long recovery, Dembélé and Marquinhos are expected to miss several weeks, and Mendes is already sidelined.
The club can take encouragement from its attacking depth and the performances of players ready to take on bigger roles. But the coming weeks will test that depth in a way no Champions League victory can disguise.
PSG got the result they wanted against Barcelona. Now they must find a way to keep winning without some of the players who helped make that result possible. The victory was priceless in Europe. The cost could be felt for months.
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