PSG injury news: Hakimi’s fitness clouds final build-up
PSG injury news: Paris Saint-Germain face a genuine selection headache ahead of the Champions League final against Arsenal on 30 May, with growing uncertainty surrounding Achraf Hakimi’s readiness to start at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest. According to L’Equipe, the latest PSG injury news surrounding Hakimi is troubling. The Moroccan right-back missed PSG’s internal friendly last weekend, instead completing individual training work as he continues recovering from the thigh problem he picked up during the Champions League semi-final first leg against Bayern Munich in late April.
Goal.com reported that Hakimi was not expected to return to full group training until Wednesday, leaving him a narrow three-day window to prove his fitness before the squad travels to Hungary. L’Equipe used notably firm language, calling a starting role for Hakimi “difficult and too early.”
The 27-year-old, valued at around €85 million and earning roughly €262,000 per week, has already missed PSG’s four final Ligue 1 fixtures and the second leg against Bayern. Should he be absent from the starting XI, Warren Zaïre-Emery would likely fill in at right-back, with Fabián Ruiz shifting into midfield. Ousmane Dembélé also sat out the internal session, though he publicly insisted he expects to be fully fit, despite Luis Enrique hinting the issue might be fatigue-related.
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PSG injury news: what it means tactically
Hakimi is not simply a right-back for PSG. He operates as a genuine attacking outlet, possessing pace, intelligent runs, and sharp timing to create overloads high up the pitch. Losing him from the starting line-up strips Luis Enrique of one of his most reliable weapons and hands Arsenal’s left side, most likely Gabriel Martinelli, a considerably more manageable opponent in Zaïre-Emery, who is naturally a central midfielder.
PSG injury news and its real impact on Arsenal’s chances
Honestly, this does give Arsenal a meaningful edge, but not a decisive one. PSG’s system runs deeper than any one player. However, Hakimi’s absence from the XI specifically benefits Bukayo Saka on the right, as it allows Arsenal to attack with greater freedom in transition and draw fouls in promising positions.
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Mikel Arteta‘s side, fresh from ending a 21-year Premier League drought, arrive in Budapest with momentum and structure. If Hakimi cannot start, Arsenal’s tactical flexibility becomes a sharper weapon, and the psychological advantage of facing a weakened backline matters in a one-off final. The latest PSG injury news does not hand Arsenal the trophy, but it shifts the odds noticeably.