CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
Why is Dembélé not playing for PSG against Dortmund in UCL?
Ousmane Dembélé has missed just one game for PSG this season but will sit out tonight’s clash against Dortmund.
Paris Saint-Germain could secure their place in the Last 16 of the Champions League later tonight. Failing to make it to the knockout round would be viewed as a catastrophe for Luis Enrique and Co. - the last time that PSG didn’t make it past the group stage was in 2004/5.
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They will be without Ousmane Dembélé when they take on Borussia Dortmund at Signal Induna Park. The winger is ineligible to play but not through injury - he will serve a one-match suspension for accumulation of yellow cards.
It was all yellow
Dembélé started off the tournament on a clean slate but was booked in the matchday 2 victory over Newcastle and picked up another yellow in the following game against Milan - both for fouls. He went into the book a third time in the most recent game, the matchday 5 clash against Newcastle for petulantly kicking the ball away after a free-kick had been blown.
With three bookings in five games, Dembélé is now suspended as the rulebook stipulates: “From the first match in the group stage, players and team officials are suspended for the next competition match after three cautions, which did not result in a red card, as well as following any subsequent odd-numbered caution (fifth, seventh, ninth, etc)”.
Barcola and Kolo Muani to support Mbappé
In Dembélé's absence, Bradley Barcola and Kolo Muani are expected to accompany Kylian Mbappé in attack. Gonçalo Ramos has been suffering with flu as is a doubt.
First team regular
However, whether PSG continue in the Champions League or descend to the Europa League, at least Dembélé will have wiped his disciplinary record clean (bookings are carried through up until the quarter final round). The former Barça winger has played a key role for Paris Saint-Germain this season - he tops the ranking for assists with six in total and one goal, all in Ligue 1.
Overall, his disciplinary history doesn’t look too bad - he has served bans twice in the Bundesliga for accumulation of cards and once during his time in LaLiga after being issued a direct red.