Dembélé’s Comeback: Not Fully Fit Yet, Enriqué Delayed My Return as PSG Dominate 7-2
22 October 2025
Fitness Status and the Comeback
French international Ousmane Dembélé says he has not yet reached full fitness, even as he has returned to action with European champions Paris Saint-Germain.
Dembélé found the net in PSG’s 7-2 thrashing of Bayer Leverkusen at the BayArena, in the third round of the UEFA Champions League group stage.
In remarks cited by L’Equipe, he said, “Scoring seven goals against Leverkusen is important; we must maintain this level.”
“We’re in the first half of the season, and we’re focusing on both the Champions League and domestic duties,” he added. “I still haven’t reached full fitness, but I’m working to gradually regain my form.”
He also revealed that he had wanted to return last weekend in Ligue 1, but coach Luis Enrique asked him to wait.
PSG’s seven-goal haul featured contributions from Batshu, Mendes, Vitinha, Dembélé, Kvarts...(name variations in original), and Doyi (two goals). Leverkusen replied with goals from Grimaldo and Garcia.
With the win, PSG moved to nine points at the top of the Champions League group, while Leverkusen sat on two points in 27th place.
Remarkable Milestone
Dembélé celebrated a standout moment in his first appearance after recovering from an earlier thigh muscle injury suffered during France’s Euro 2026 qualifiers, ruling him out for about six weeks.
After coming on as a substitute for Leverkusen, he found the net just three minutes into his appearance.
The official PSG X account highlighted the match as Dembélé’s 100th appearance for the club across all competitions since joining from Barcelona in 2023 for €50 million.
Across those 100 appearances in PSG colors, Dembélé has tallied 44 goals and 32 assists, with 10 bookings and a single red card.
During his PSG tenure, he has contributed 26 goals in 58 Ligue 1 matches, four goals in eight Coupe de France games, one goal in two Trophée des Champions matches, 11 goals in 27 UEFA Champions League matches, and two goals in four FIFA Club World Cup games. He did not score in the UEFA Super Cup against Tottenham.
Since arriving at Parc des Princes, Dembélé has helped PSG claim domestic trebles and, for the first time, the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Super Cup, ending the club’s wait for a global crown. He has been part of eight trophies with PSG so far, excluding the summer FIFA Club World Cup silver medal obtained in the United States last year.
On his first appearance after recovery, Dembélé said, “This big win felt like a hero’s display; we started well, scored early, and faced some challenges after a red card that could have been avoided.”
He added, “We kept our tempo with two goals from Dwy before halftime, which was a useful step for us. Winning 7-2 away in the Champions League is meaningful; we must keep pushing strongly in both domestic and European competition as we’re still in the first half of the season.”
Following the game, PSG organized a small ceremony to honor Dembélé’s 100th appearance, with Nasser Al-Khelaifi presenting a commemorative medal as teammates and staff cheered him on. A group photo with Al-Khelaifi, the coach, and players encapsulated a warm, celebratory mood.
PSG’s 2025-2026 Season Snapshot
PSG have recorded five wins and one defeat—against Paris rival Olympique de Marseille—in Ligue 1, a clash aligned with the Ballon d’Or ceremony after a 24-hour delay due to bad weather, followed by two draws in the league after eight rounds. The club beat Nantes and Angers 1-0 each in the opening two fixtures, then defeated Toulouse 6-3, Lens 2-0, and made it past Nice 2-0 in the following match.
Before the international break, PSG drew away to Lille 1-1 and hosted Strasbourg 3-3 at the Parc des Princes, surrendering the CL lead after eight rounds. In Europe, PSG kicked off the campaign by winning the Super Cup against Tottenham on penalties after a 2-2 draw, followed by three straight group-stage wins against Atalanta, Barcelona, and Leverkusen.
