FC Barcelona has to face Paris-Saint Germain next Wednesday, October 1 at 9:00 p.m., for the second matchday of the UEFA Champions League. This is a match that's highlighted on the blaugrana calendar because of the desire to play against the last champion of the competition... and also because of the possibility of seeing some familiar faces again.
Nevertheless, the reunion with one of them won't be possible. Ousmane Dembélé has suffered an injury during this international break. He'll be out for a long period, having been diagnosed with a recovery time of about 6 weeks (6 weeks), which will make him miss the match against Barça.
In this regard, the participation of another top-level player for PSG is also in doubt: his compatriot Désire Doué. He was precisely his substitute with France and has also been injured, missing in his case about 4 weeks (4 weeks) of competition.
Ronald Araujo breathes a sigh of relief
The upcoming Barça-PSG match is marked by an absence that could be decisive: Ousmane Dembélé's. The French winger won't be available and his absence is a real relief for the Culer defense, especially for Ronald Araujo, who was in charge of stopping him in one-on-one situations.
Ousmane Dembélé is an unbalancing footballer, one who changes matches. His speed, dribbling, and ability to attack on the outside or inside made him one of the biggest threats for the Parisian side. In an end-to-end match, his direct duel with Araujo was shaping up to be one of the hottest points of the game.
A duel that will no longer exist
At Barça, they know very well what it means to face Ousmane Dembélé. During his time as a blaugrana, he showed that when he's inspired, he's almost impossible to stop. For Araujo, a fast and physically powerful center-back, it was going to be a demanding night, having to multiply his efforts in coverage to prevent the Frenchman from constantly creating danger.
His absence will completely change the script of the match. Paris-Saint Germain loses one of its most unbalancing footballers and Barça gains defensive peace of mind, knowing it won't have to suffer so much in the center.
Ultimately, Ousmane Dembélé's absence is great news for Ronald Araujo and for Barça. It avoids a direct duel that could've defined the tie and reduces PSG's attacking arsenal, something that's welcomed with open arms at Spotify Camp Nou.