According to reports, Dembélé, after a stellar season with Paris Saint-Germain, scored his 33rd goal of the season on Tuesday night at the Emirates, securing his team’s advantage over Arsenal ahead of the return leg.

Paris Saint-Germain returns with a 1-0 away win, but the French star may miss the second leg next Wednesday. He left the pitch in the second half in London due to an injury and discomfort.

Luis Enrique confirmed after the match that his star player’s participation in the return leg remains uncertain, and Dembélé has also missed the Ligue 1 match against Strasbourg.

Paris Saint-Germain issued a brief statement on Friday afternoon, saying: “Dembélé’s condition is improving. However, further medical assessments are required.” The French champions have only five days to decide whether he will feature in the most crucial match of the season against Mikel Arteta’s team.

Given the short timeframe before the return leg, fielding Dembélé could be an excessive risk for the team. Stephan Smith, CEO and founder of Kitman Labs, which specializes in performance analysis and injury prevention for Premier League clubs, believes the chances of Dembélé being ready to start against Arsenal are very low.

He told Metro: “Even if his hamstring injury is grade one, the likelihood of him being able to play within a week is very, very slim. My feeling is that even if the strain is very mild, he needs at least two weeks to recover. In such an important match, if you’re not completely sure, is it worth sending a half-fit player onto the pitch and risking a more severe injury and long-term absence?

This is a high-risk decision for a player who has had a brilliant season so far. I would categorize this as highly unlikely. If there is even the slightest damage to the muscle fibers, sending him onto the pitch at this stage could lead to a more serious injury, especially in one of the most sensitive areas for professional players.

It’s not about sending the player onto the pitch and praying everything goes well. That mindset doesn’t exist among professional medical teams. They don’t just think about how important Dembélé is; they assess how big this risk is for the player himself.”