Paris Saint-Germain launch their Champions League defence against Atalanta on Wednesday, but questions linger over how long their squad can cope with the relentless schedule.
Luis Enrique’s men stormed to their first European crown last season, thrashing Inter Milan 5-0 in the Munich final, yet the campaign stretched to 65 games across 11 months, including a draining Club World Cup run.
This year could again bring more than 55 matches, with the FIFA Intercontinental Cup in December and a World Cup looming next summer.
Injuries are already mounting. Ousmane Dembele and Desire Doue are sidelined for weeks, while Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Lee Kang-in and Lucas Beraldo limped off during Sunday’s 2-0 win over Lens.
“It happens to everyone,” said Enrique, who is himself nursing a fractured collarbone. “It is a bit of a difficult time for us because we have a lot of players injured. I am calm about it and I hope we will manage to overcome it.”
FIFPRO has warned that “injuries to high-profile players are only one visible part of the workload crisis facing professional football,” with the effects stretching across clubs, national teams and fans.
PSG’s reliance on Achraf Hakimi, who played more minutes than anyone else last season and will feature heavily for Morocco at AFCON, highlights the lack of depth after a quiet summer window.
Still, excitement runs high as PSG look to defend their crown. “It is a special moment,” Enrique said. “We know how difficult this competition is, but we are relaxed about it and we are hoping to put in a good performance in our first game.”
