Injury-hit Champions League campaign leaves Munich hero Désiré Doué seeking lift-off at PSG | OneFootball

Désiré Doué’s Champions League season has been subdued after two injuries, with PSG visiting Sporting Portugal on Tuesday at 21:00 as spring approaches.

L'Équipe notes that the 20-year-old has played only 75 minutes across two outings in this campaign, a modest return for a Munich final hero who hit two goals and an assist against Inter Milan.

His momentum has been checked by a right calf problem on 5 September and a right thigh issue on 29 October, each costing six weeks. The 2025 Golden Boy has not yet hit the anticipated stride.

Recent performances have mixed bright bursts with quieter spells. The first halves against Lille, a 3-0 win last Friday, and Marseille in the Trophée des Champions on 8 January, 2-2 then 4-1 on penalties, featured some slack touches alongside flashes of invention.

Inside the club there is no sense of a ‘Doué case’. After his first return he surged with 3 goals and 2 assists in 4 matches, including a brace at Bayer Leverkusen in a 7-2 win, before the second setback prompted caution.

The squad have targeted peaking in spring, minutes have been managed, and Doué is now fully fit, so a gradual uptick is expected. He has simplified his game under Luis Enrique yet remains explosive, with 6 goals, 3 assists and 2 penalties won in 16 appearances, compared with 16 goals and 14 assists in 61 last season.

His absences have not derailed the European champions, who have started the Champions League solidly with 4 wins, 1 draw and 1 defeat. The full returns of Ousmane Dembélé and Doué could help raise the tempo.

Source: L'Équipe