Update
Presnel Kimpembe has now been ruled out of the season, per Reuters. It’s reported that his non-contact injury sustained in PSG’s 3-0 road win at Marseille is a ruptured right Achilles — and the center-back’s season is over.
Oh, no. Paris Saint-Germain center-back Presnel Kimpembe was stretchered off the field (via @iMiaSanMia) in the first half of PSG’s Ligue 1 match against Olympique de Marseille today. Barely twelve minutes into the match, Kimpembe fell to the turf with an apparent non-contact injury while racing back in transition, and was brought to the locker room on a stretcher.
These are injuries you never want to see in this game, and it comes at an unfortunate time for the Parisians, with the second leg of their Champions League knockout matchup against Bayern Munich looming next week. The Bavarians hold a 1-0 advantage from the first leg, and the match will be played in Germany on March 8th.
PSG are also thin in depth at the back, with the failed immediate acquisition of Inter Milan center-back Milan Škriniar now looming larger. Škriniar will instead arrive in the summer transfer window on a free.
PSG coach Christophe Galtier will still have Sergio Ramos, Marquinhos, and Nordi Mukiele to call upon in defense. From a Bayern perspective, an injury like this so close to the match casts a somber pall over the proceedings. All competitive considerations aside — and it would be better for both teams to field full-strength XIs — thoughts must turn now to Kimpembe and his recovery.