With just seven days remaining before their highly anticipated Champions League final clash against Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain conducted a final internal scrimmage to fine-tune their preparations. The training session in Poissy served as a critical rehearsal, allowing Luis Enrique’s squad to maintain sharpness while simulating match conditions ahead of the May 30 showdown in Budapest.

The friendly duel featured two evenly matched teams competing at full intensity for over an hour. While the session aimed to replicate game-day rigor, two key figures were notably absent from the pitch—though their omission raised no alarms among coaching staff.

Key absentees don’t dampen spirits

Ousmane Dembélé and Achraf Hakimi skipped the internal fixture, instead focusing on individualized conditioning. According to club sources, their absence was purely tactical, with no injury concerns or performance anxieties. Both stars are expected to feature prominently when PSG faces Arsenal in a week’s time. Meanwhile, defenders Nuno Mendes and Willian Pacho, who missed the recent Ligue 1 fixture against Paris FC, participated fully in the exercise.

The scrimmage lineup showcased tactical flexibility:

• 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

Next-gen talent shines in preparation

Luis Enrique used the session to blood young prospects including Abdou Fanne Drame, Rayan Abo El Nay, Thomas Cordier, and Yanis Khafi. Midfield maestros Vitinha, Ibrahim Mbaye, and striker Gonçalo Ramos found the net during the high-tempo contest.

The match unfolded before a crowd of 1,000 passionate ultras, invited to honor their unwavering support throughout the campaign. The energetic atmosphere was amplified by a display banner reading “Once is historic, twice is legendary,” while over 150 children from PSG for Communities added to the celebratory mood, personally welcomed by President Nasser Al-Khelaïfi.

At the final whistle, captain Marquinhos and teammates presented jerseys and footballs to fans as tokens of appreciation. The squad now enjoys a two-day rest before resuming training on Tuesday, stepping into the decisive final stretch of their European quest.