Paris Saint-Germain’s forward Ousmane Dembele is sidelined for Wednesday’s Champions League match against Athletic Bilbao due to illness, announced the reigning champions on Tuesday.
The 28-year-old, who clinched the 2025 Ballon d’Or, has been sick since Monday, making him unfit for the league phase game in Spain.
Dembele’s absence continues a recent period of disrupted form, where he has struggled to maintain consistent match fitness.
Previously, he missed domestic games against Olympique Lyonnais and Le Havre due to a calf injury, before making a comeback on November 26 during PSG’s 5-3 Champions League win over Tottenham Hotspur, playing 12 minutes as a substitute.
The French international further appeared briefly off the bench in a 1-0 loss to Monaco on November 29 and a 5-0 Ligue 1 triumph over Rennes last weekend, playing nearly 30 minutes in each match.
Against Rennes, Dembele assisted Goncalo Ramos in stoppage time, indicating a slow return to form before falling ill ahead of Wednesday’s European clash.
PSG ranks second in the 36-team league with 12 points from five games, while Athletic Bilbao holds the 27th spot with four points.
