Paris Saint-Germain face Bayern Munich in the Champions League semi-final second leg carrying a significant injury crisis, with influential full-back Achraf Hakimi ruled out for several weeks after damaging his right thigh in the thrilling 5-4 first-leg victory at the Parc des Princes.
The Moroccan international’s absence represents a major structural blow to Luis Enrique’s side. Hakimi, who provided the assist for Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s goal in the first leg, sustained the injury during that remarkable nine-goal encounter and has been definitively ruled out of Wednesday’s decider at the Allianz Arena. PSG have confirmed he will be sidelined for “several weeks”, a timeframe that casts doubt over the remainder of his season. Notably, this is not the first time Hakimi has been laid low by a Bayern fixture this campaign; he previously missed time after damaging his left ankle during the group stage meeting between the two sides.
The ripple effect of his absence will be felt deep into the PSG starting XI. Warren Zaïre-Emery, who operated in midfield during the first leg, is the expected deputy at right-back. The 20-year-old scored PSG’s second goal in their weekend draw with Lorient and has the versatility to slot into the defensive line. His repositioning, however, opens a space in central midfield for Fabian Ruiz, who came off the bench in the first leg and has looked assured in recent outings, with his passing play notably sharp. Ruiz is poised to start in Bavaria.
The injury list does not end there. Second-choice goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier has also been sidelined with a thigh injury sustained during training last week and is expected to be out for “several weeks”. The timing is particularly cruel for the 24-year-old, who is currently France’s second-choice goalkeeper behind Mike Maignan. His World Cup aspirations for 2026 are now in serious jeopardy, having already faced challenges securing regular playing time. He has previously been laid low by an ankle injury and a calf problem this season.
In Chevalier’s absence, Matvey Safonov remains PSG’s undisputed number one between the posts. The Russian has established himself as first choice following Gianluigi Donnarumma’s departure and has built a reputation for big-game reliability, notably saving four out of five penalties in a shootout victory against Flamengo in the Intercontinental Cup.
Lineup changes and attacking continuity
With Zaïre-Emery shifting to right-back, the predicted PSG XI shapes up in a 4-2-3-1 formation: Safonov in goal; a defence of Zaïre-Emery, captain Marquinhos, Willian Pacho and Nuno Mendes; a midfield trio of Ruiz, Vitinha and João Neves; and an attacking line of Désiré Doué, Ousmane Dembélé and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
The front three remains untouched after a devastating first-leg display in which each of them contributed two attacking returns. Kvaratskhelia and Dembélé both scored braces, with Dembélé now considered a Ballon d’Or contender by France manager Didier Deschamps. Bradley Barcola, despite his own qualities, will likely have to settle for a place on the bench once more.
The selection is informed by Luis Enrique’s squad rotation at the weekend. Marquinhos, Kvaratskhelia and Dembélé were all left on the bench for the Lorient match, while Ruiz was replaced by goalscorer Zaïre-Emery and Neves got half an hour as PSG were held to a 2-2 draw. Doué played 75 minutes and was PSG’s most impressive attacking player in that game, coming close to scoring a solo goal, and is expected to start on Wednesday. Luis Enrique felt his side deserved to win the Lorient match, noting they had hit the post twice.
Marquinhos, who played the full 90 minutes in the first leg, equalled Roberto Carlos’s record for the most Champions League appearances by a Brazilian player (120) in that game. The captain, who led PSG to their first Champions League title in 2025, was part of the PSG side that lost 1-0 to Bayern in the 2020 final in Lisbon. Thomas Tuchel, then PSG manager, reflected after that defeat that luck had turned against his side and that the club needed “fresh blood” and “more quality” to maintain their level.
Neves, who scored PSG’s second goal in the first leg with a header from a corner and was instrumental in midfield with his defensive contributions and work rate, had a difficult outing against Bayern in the recent Lorient match, recording his lowest duel success rate in the Champions League with the club (27 per cent). He has also previously been listed with an ankle injury.
Beyond the immediate selection headaches, Hakimi’s injury is a significant concern for the Moroccan national team ahead of the 2026 World Cup. Meanwhile, PSG have previously expressed frustration over injuries to Dembélé and Doué sustained while on international duty with France, with the club calling for better medical coordination between club and country. Deschamps defended the French medical staff’s handling of those situations.
Match details and context
Wednesday’s second leg kicks off at 8pm BST at the Allianz Arena and will be broadcast live on TNT Sports. PSG carry a slender one-goal aggregate lead after the 5-4 thriller in Paris, a result that leaves the tie finely balanced heading to Munich. Bayern have not provided any specific injury updates of their own ahead of the match.
Beyond the immediate squad concerns, PSG’s recent injury history has included long-term issues for Neymar, who underwent season-ending ankle surgery in March 2023 and has since returned to Paris for rehabilitation, and Kylian Mbappé, who suffered an ankle sprain with ligament damage in July 2020 and was diagnosed with a hamstring injury in May 2026, with his availability for upcoming fixtures uncertain.
