Paris Saint-Germain could be without forward Khvicha Kvaratskhelia for the rest of the season after the Georgian winger suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament during their 4-2 Champions League victory over Barcelona.
The French champions confirmed on Wednesday that the 25-year-old would undergo surgery in the coming days, raising concerns about his availability for the remainder of the campaign.
Kvaratskhelia sustained the injury during Tuesday’s league phase encounter at the Parc des Princes. He went down without apparent contact and was forced off shortly before the hour mark.
Recovery from ACL surgery typically takes six to nine months, potentially ruling out the former Napoli player for a significant part of the season.
Kvaratskhelia played a key role in PSG’s Champions League triumphs over the past two seasons and has established himself as one of Europe’s leading attacking players.
The injury comes ahead of Monday’s Ballon d’Or ceremony, for which the Georgian international is among the contenders.
PSG also confirmed that current Ballon d’Or holder Ousmane Dembele and Brazilian defender Marquinhos would be out for several weeks after sustaining thigh injuries against Barcelona.
Dembele, 29, was substituted after just 20 minutes of the match, while Marquinhos also picked up an injury during the encounter.
The three setbacks leave PSG facing a selection challenge as they prepare for their next Ligue 1 fixture away to leaders Lyon on Sunday.
They will then travel to Spain to face Villarreal in the Champions League on 3 November.
The French side will have to look to their summer recruits, including Maghnes Akliouche, Mika Godts and Spain international Ferran Torres, to help cover the absences.
Catherine Chinenye Igwe
Reporter
Catherine Igwe is a Digital Journalist at Galaxy Television. She has over half a decade of experience in SEO content writing, digital marketing, and online publishing, creating engaging, search-optimised content for diverse audiences.
Discussion0