Soccer Football - UEFA Champions League - Final - Paris St Germain Training - Campus Paris St Germain, Poissy, France - May 20, 2026 Paris St Germain coach Luis Enrique, Desire Doue and Dro Fernandez during training REUTERS/Benoit Tessier
With just seven days remaining before the highly anticipated Ligue des champions final, Paris Saint-Germain’s players immersed themselves in a high-stakes internal scrimmage to sharpen their competitive edge. The session, held at the club’s training facility in Poissy, served as a critical rehearsal ahead of the May 30 showdown against Arsenal in Budapest.
Under the watchful eye of head coach Luis Enrique, the squad split into two teams for a 60-minute duel that mirrored the intensity of a real match. The exercise was designed to maintain rhythm and cohesion, ensuring the players were battle-ready for one of football’s biggest stages.
Two key figures were notably absent from the pitch: Ousmane Dembélé and Achraf Hakimi. Both worked separately in individual drills, yet there were no concerns about their fitness ahead of the final. Their absence from the friendly was purely strategic, with the coaching staff opting for precautionary measures to preserve their peak condition for the ultimate clash.
Line-ups reveal fresh faces and tactical insights
The internal match saw a blend of established stars and rising talents. The starting XIs were as follows:
- Black team: Marin – Fanne Drame, Zabarnyi, Hernandez, Mendes – Mayulu, Neves, Beraldo – Doué, Ramos, Barcola.
- White team: Safonov – Zaïre-Emery, Pacho, Marquinhos, Cordier – Dro, Vitinha, Ruiz – Mbaye, Lee, Kvaratskhelia.
Among the standout performers were young prospects Abdou Fanne Drame, Rayan Abo El Nay, Thomas Cordier, and Yanis Khafi, who earned their minutes. The likes of Vitinha, Ibrahim Mbaye, and Gonçalo Ramos found the back of the net, adding a competitive spark to the session.
Nuno Mendes and Willian Pacho, who had missed the previous Ligue 1 fixture against Paris FC, were back in action, fully fit to contribute to the final push.
A stadium-like atmosphere with a heartfelt touch
The training session took place before a crowd of 1,000 passionate ultras, invited by the club to celebrate their unwavering support throughout the season. The atmosphere was electric, with the Collective Ultras Paris unfurling a banner reading, « Once historic, twice legendary ». The event also welcomed over 150 children from PSG for Communities, a gesture led by club president Nasser Al-Khelaïfi.
As a token of appreciation, Marquinhos and his teammates presented signed jerseys and footballs to the supporters, further cementing the bond between the team and its fanbase. With a rest day scheduled for Sunday and Monday, the players will return to training on Tuesday, stepping into the final stretch of their campaign.
