PSG star refusing to play vs Liverpool; club chiefs ‘not happy’ with reason | OneFootball

Fabian Ruiz is refusing to play for Paris Saint-Germain against Liverpool in the Champions League quarter-final and the club chiefs are “not happy” with the midfielder.

Ruiz hasn’t featured for PSG since mid-January after picking up a knee injury, but after being scheduled to return for their clash against Toulouse on Saturday he missed that game and has also been left out of the squad to face the Reds at the Paris des Princes.

That’s despite him being given the all clear after scans on his knee, with journalist Loic Tanzi detailing the situation on L’Equipe de Greg.

“He says and repeats that as long as he is in pain, he does not want to play,” Tanzi revealed. “At the slightest hint of pain, he does not even want to train.

“Last week, we thought he was going to come back against Toulouse and then play against Liverpool. That was not the case.

“Luis Enrique says everyone is happy, but at the club, some people are not. Looking at the scans, there is nothing there anymore.

“It is only the player’s own feelings, and right now, he does not feel ready to train. This case is extremely unclear.

“We were told last week that he was capable of playing against Toulouse. He has a knee issue, but nobody knows exactly what it is.”

Speaking about Ruiz’s situation ahead of his side’s entry in the last eight, Enrique said: “We have to wait for the player, there’s no problem. We’re trying to get the players back as soon as possible.

“We’re still focused on giving the player confidence. Fabian hasn’t trained with the group yet. He’s made a lot of progress, and we’re happy because he seems to be on the right track, but he still needs to do a little more.”

Ruiz was a key part of the PSG team that won the Champions League last season, forming a formidable midfield trio with Joao Neves and Vitinha, but the Ligue 1 giants ripped Chelsea apart without the Spaniard and former France international Christophe Dugarry predicts Liverpool will be “massacred” in his absence.

“In my opinion, the difference in level is colossal. I think PSG will wrap up the quarter-final in the first leg. It’s going to be a massacre. Have you seen Liverpool play? They’re catastrophic.”