Enrique, PSG left to sweat on Dembele and Hakimi injuries
PARIS — Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique said the reigning European champion would have to wait to learn the extent of injuries suffered by star duo Ousmane Dembele and Achraf Hakimi in Tuesday's Champions League loss to Bayern Munich.
Reigning Ballon d'Or holder Dembele came off after just 25 minutes, before Moroccan star Hakimi had to be helped from the field in tears in first-half stoppage time, as Bayern won the game 2-1 in Paris.
"We will have to wait until tomorrow to see the results of the tests to find out the extent of the injuries, but Ousmane's injury has nothing to do with his last one," said Enrique.
France forward Dembele was starting for just the second time since suffering a hamstring injury playing for France at the start of September.
Hakimi, meanwhile, was taken off after his left ankle twisted awkwardly under a Luis Diaz challenge, which led to the Bayern player being sent off.
"That's football, it's a contact sport," Enrique said, recalling the leg fracture suffered by Bayern's Jamal Musiala during the Club World Cup quarterfinal between the two teams in the United States in July.
"It's a shame, because it is complicated for the players, but I remember the injury Musiala got in the summer and it is just one of these moments of bad luck."
Bayern coach Vincent Kompany added: "All that matters is that Hakimi recovers quickly.
"What can I say? The intensity levels were massive. It is an unfortunate moment and that can happen. He didn't mean to injure him."
Diaz had scored twice for Bayern in a first half completely dominated by the German giant, which held on in the second half with 10 men, despite Joao Neves pulling a goal back for PSG and Harry Kane failing to add to his 25 goals for club and country this season.
'Don't believe the hype'
Bayern has now won 16 straight games in all competitions since the start of this season, and is top of the Champions League standings with the maximum 12 points halfway through the league phase.
"It is great that we managed to get a result like that by holding on as a team," said Kompany, who played down the significance of his side's winning run.
"For me, the main thing I tell my players is that, when there is hype, please don't believe it, you're not that good, and if you lose, you're not that bad.
"Now, we have won 16, but from tomorrow onwards it is back to zero. I know the Champions League winner is not decided now, otherwise PSG would not have won it last season.
"Now, it is about getting to the next round, and this was a very important three points."
Despite the defeat, PSG has nine points from four matches and remains very much on course to advance to the knockout phase before hosting Tottenham in its next game.
"I think in the first half they were superior to us. They created more chances than us and we gifted them goals," Enrique said before returning to the issue of player fitness, which has hampered his team's start to the season.
"I can't recall any game this season where we have played with everyone fit, but this is a different season and we have to handle that. I am not making any excuses."
Diaz hero and villain
Diaz scored twice and was sent off as Bayern maintained its perfect record.
The Colombian gave Bayern a fourth-minute lead at the Parc des Princes, firing in from close range after goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier saved a shot from Michael Olise.
The goal came following a rapid Bayern counterattack which stemmed from Dembele losing the ball in midfield and Serge Gnabry feeding Olise with a quick pass to send him racing into the penalty area.
It meant that Diaz scored in a second straight Champions League game after netting in Bayern's 4-0 rout of Club Brugge.
He then pounced on slack defending to score again just after the half-hour mark, before seeing red shortly afterward for his rash challenge on Hakimi.
Agencies
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