Can PSG defeat the high-flying Bayern Munich without Ousmane Dembélé?

Paris Saint-Germain managed a last-gasp 1-0 home victory against OGC Nice in Ligue 1 thanks to their super-sub Gonçalo Ramos who perfectly celebrated his 100 appearance for the club. The win was important and left Les Parisiens at the top of the league, just two point ahead of their rivals, Olympique de Marseille in the table.

Now, the club will have to face Vincent Kompany's Bayern Munich in a heavyweight European clash on Tuesday, a team who remained unbeaten in their first 15 games this season. To face this difficult challenge, Luis Enrique and his side will have to do without Désiré Doué who suffered another injury setback against Lorient in their frustrating mid-week 1-1 away draw.

Additionally, 2025 Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembélé who just recovered from a muscular injury that kept him sidelined for 1 month and a half has seen his fitness be a real concern for his side and his presence in the starting lineup of this encounter is in doubt.

Will Dembélé be fit enough to face Bayern Munich?

According to French outlet L'Equipe, the 28-year-old complained of severe thigh pain immediately after their win over Nice this weekend as he stated in a conversation with PSG teammate Achraf Hakimi: " My thigh hurts, it hurts so much!". While the club's medical staff is said to monitor the situation closely, a decision regarding his participation to the clash is set to be taken on Tuesday. Therefore, it is almost certain that the French international will not feature in the starting lineup, though, he was present in training on Sunday and took part with his teammates.

The possibility of Ousmane Dembélé being out of the starting lineup could have a massive impact on Paris' chances in this game while already missing Désiré Doué who is out indefinitely following his injury. Even though Luis Enrique and his depleted side managed to take down FC Barcelona away at the start of October, this Bayern Munich side seems to be much better while being full of confidence after 15 consecutive wins.

Additionally, the England international striker Harry Kane is in exceptional form at the moment, having scored 22 goals in Bayern's first 15 games, showcasing why he is one of Europe's finest number 9 this season. With Illia Zabarnyi suspended after his red card received against Bayer Leverkusen, Marquinhos who is coming back from injury and Willian Pacho will have the difficult task to stop him from scoring.

With or without Ousmane Dembélé, PSG will undoubtedly face their biggest challenge in this Champions League campaign, on their way to defend their European crown.