Luis Enrique defends Ousmane Dembélé as PSG plan his rest for the Mans clash

Paris Saint-Germain will leave winger Ousmane Dembélé out of the squad for the Ligue 1 match against Le Mans on Saturday at 20:45, a decision confirmed by manager Luis Enrique on Friday. The move comes as the club resumes its sixth‑round fixtures and follows a subdued start to the season for both PSG and the French international.

Enrique’s public endorsement

Speaking at a press conference, Enrique praised Dembélé’s recent displays for the France national team, describing him as "brilliant in the national side, as usual". He added that the player is "different, you can pay for a ticket to see him play, he always shows up and is connected to his teammates".

Resting the winger

Despite the compliments, Enrique announced that Dembélé will sit out the Le Mans encounter, marking the second such rest period since the campaign began. "We decided together that Nuno Mendes and Ousmane Dembélé should rest for the next matches," he told journalists, urging the media and followers to accept the approach as "typical for this season".

PSG extends Dembélé and Mendes' rest, leaves two absences for the return to Ligue 1

The decision mirrors a pattern from previous seasons where Enrique has rotated his squad to manage player fatigue. Dembélé’s lack of impact during the recent France training camp was noted, though the manager insisted his performances have not been unconvincing.

Fans will also recall the speculation surrounding Dembélé’s Ballon d’Or 2025 candidacy with Paris Saint-Germain, a topic that resurfaced with the question of whether he might lose his place on 26 October. The manager’s remarks aim to quell doubts by highlighting the player’s quality and the strategic nature of his omission.

Ligue 1 doubts linger as Ousmane Dembélé rests for PSG’s Le Mans game

With Ligue 1 back in full swing, PSG’s next challenge will be to maintain momentum while managing the workload of key players such as Dembélé and Mendes.