One week from the biggest night in Paris Saint-Germain's modern history, the story is not tactics or team selection. It is a handshake that never happened. When Ukrainian defender Ilia Zabarnyi refused to clasp hands with Russian goalkeeper Matvey Safonov during an open training session, the cameras caught everything (2). Luis Enrique responded by giving the squad 48 hours off, a decision that reads less like generosity and more like damage control.
This is not a minor embarrassment. It is a fracture visible to the world, and it arrives at the worst possible moment. A Champions League final demands unity. PSG will face Arsenal wondering whether their dressing room can hold.
The Injury Equation
Luis Enrique is reportedly planning a surprise in his starting XI for the final (1). He may not have a choice. Achraf Hakimi and Ousmane Dembélé both sat out the internal friendly staged in front of 1,000 supporters at the Parc des Princes (9). Dembélé has since stated he expects to be fit (12), but Hakimi's situation is more delicate. Reports suggest the Moroccan right-back is too short on fitness to start (7). That is a problem Arsenal's left side will relish.
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Two key players, both uncertain. Against a team Madueke described as "the best offensive and the best defensive team" (14), PSG can afford no passengers.
The Kids Are Alright
Away from the final frenzy, PSG's U19s delivered a reminder of what this club can produce. A 3–2 victory over Montpellier in the Coupe Gambardella final, celebrated by the ultras, showed the pipeline is functioning (8). In a week dominated by tension and injury updates, it was the one genuinely uplifting story.
The Transfer Subplot
Bradley Barcola is on Liverpool's radar as an alternative if the Yan Diomande pursuit stalls (4). Diomande himself is choosing between Anfield and Paris (16). Meanwhile, Randal Kolo Muani's Tottenham nightmare has been officially certified: he has been named among Spurs' worst-ever loan signings (6). A Turkish club may offer him an exit (3). PSG will struggle to recoup meaningful value. Dembélé, at least, has ended speculation about his own future, confirming he has two years left and intends to stay (13).
What to Watch
The next seven days will be defined by silence or noise. If Hakimi trains fully by midweek, PSG can breathe. If the Zabarnyi-Safonov rift festers, it will dominate every press conference. The club has done the right thing by covering staff travel costs for the final, a gesture Arsenal declined to match (10). But goodwill only matters if the squad arrives in one piece, physically and mentally. Right now, neither is guaranteed.
