As the PSG vs. Inter Miami match draws near, set for Sunday at 12:00 PM in Atlanta (6:00 PM in France), the list of absentees is becoming clearer. For PSG, Ousmane Dembélé is finally fit to play, while Presnel Kimpembe’s status remains uncertain.
After a 2-0 win over Seattle on Monday, PSG secured their spot in the knockout stage of the Club World Cup, finishing top of Group B ahead of Botafogo. As the reigning European champions, PSG will face Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami this Sunday in Atlanta. Kickoff is set for 12:00 PM local time, or 6:00 PM in France, at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which will be air-conditioned and expected to have pleasant weather (between 18 to 20°C).
Dembélé Returns, Kimpembe a Doubt
Ousmane Dembélé, who has been sidelined due to a left thigh injury suffered with France on June 5, will make his return to the squad. He had been available for Monday’s game against Seattle but wasn’t risked by the coaching staff. Despite PSG being heavily favored on paper against Inter Miami, it’s expected that Dembélé will feature on Sunday, though it remains to be seen whether he will start or come off the bench.
Dembélé has been training with the team for several days, unlike Presnel Kimpembe, who was absent from Wednesday’s training session. Kimpembe, who has yet to play a single minute in the United States, is still recovering from a bone edema on the second metatarsal of his right foot, sustained at the end of May. He hasn’t played since April 19 and remains a doubt for Sunday’s match.
In terms of disciplinary matters, PSG has three players—Marquinhos, Ruiz, and Neves—who are one yellow card away from suspension in the quarterfinals, but no players are suspended for this round of 16 match. Inter Miami has no suspensions either, though five of their players, including Messi, are at risk of suspension if they receive another yellow card.
Inter Miami’s Injury Woes
On the injury front, Inter Miami has a few concerns, but their stars will be available. Jordi Alba, who recently returned from injury, is fit and ready to play, having made two appearances against Porto and Palmeiras. However, five players are currently sidelined, including central defender Ian Fray, who picked up a left adductor injury during the group stage match against Porto and was unavailable for the Palmeiras game. His status remains unclear.
Midfielder David Ruíz, who has been out since March with a knee injury, returned to training on Thursday but is unlikely to feature against PSG given the length of his layoff. Meanwhile, goalkeeper Drake Callender, defensive midfielder Yannick Bright, and central defender Gonzalo Luján have been injured for weeks and haven’t played a single minute in the competition. They’re expected to miss Sunday’s match.
But despite the injuries, Inter Miami will have key players like Sergio Busquets, Luis Suárez, Lionel Messi, and Jordi Alba all fit and ready to take on PSG.
