The latest update on Ousmane Dembele's injury ahead of next week's Champions League semi-final second leg might spell bad news for Arsenal.
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Dembele walked off in discomfort in first leg His participation for the return leg seemed to be in doubt Fresh medical update might be unfavourable for Arsenal Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Arsenal have been dealt a blow ahead of their Champions League semi-final second leg, as PSG’s latest medical update on Dembele strongly suggests the former will be fit to feature. The club described his condition as “progressing well,” a phrase that hints at his availability for the crucial clash, boosting Paris Saint-Germain’s attacking options at a pivotal moment.
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The Frenchman, according to journalist Fabrice Hawkins, was absent from team training on Thursday and was confirmed to be unavailable for this weekend's Ligue 1 clash against Strasbourg. Since the extent of Dembele's hamstring issue was unknown, there were fears in the French capital that their talisman might not feature in next week's return leg at Parc des Princes.
However, PSG officially released a new update on Dembele, which will come as a huge boost to Les Parisiens' ambitions of reaching their first Champions League final since 2020. "Ousmane Dembele has strained his right hamstring. His condition is progressing well. A further assessment will be carried out shortly," the medical report read.
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Arsenal are dealing with an injury crisis of their own. Stars such as Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Riccardo Calafiori, and Jorginho are currently recovering from their respective injuries on the sidelines, while Thomas Partey was also absent for the first leg.
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Although the extent of Dembele's hamstring sprain is not that severe, it remains to be seen what role he'll play in the second leg. Should his recovery not go as planned, it's highly unlikely that he'll start for Luis Enrique. Fans will be desperately anticipating further updates on the 27-year-old's fitness in the coming days.