Paris Saint-Germain have been dealt another devastating blow with captain Marquinhos ruled out for several weeks due to a left thigh injury, adding to the European champions’ mounting injury concerns ahead of crucial fixtures.
The 31-year-old Brazilian defender will require treatment for what the club described as a “left quadriceps injury” that will keep him out of action “for the next few weeks,” PSG confirmed on their official website on Friday.
Marquinhos’ absence represents yet another headache for manager Luis Enrique, who is already grappling with injuries to key players including Portuguese midfielder Joao Neves, promising youngster Desire Doue, and recent Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele.
The timing of the injury could not be worse for PSG, with Marquinhos having played the full 90 minutes in Monday’s disappointing 1-0 defeat to arch-rivals Marseille, where the defender unfortunately scored an own goal. The club has not disclosed exactly when the injury occurred.
“Marquinhos will undergo treatment on a left thigh injury over the next few weeks,” the Parisian giants stated in their announcement.
However, there was some positive news for Enrique as winger Bradley Barcola returned to Friday’s training session ahead of this weekend’s Ligue 1 clash against Auxerre. Barcola had missed the Marseille encounter due to muscle fatigue in his thigh.
The injury crisis comes at a particularly challenging period for PSG, who face a demanding fixture schedule. Following Saturday’s home meeting with Auxerre, the capital club will host Barcelona in a high-profile Champions League encounter on Wednesday, before travelling to face Lille in Ligue 1 action on 5th October.
Marquinhos has been a stalwart for PSG since joining from Roma in 2013, establishing himself as one of the club’s most reliable performers and earning the captain’s armband. His absence will force Enrique to reshuffle his defensive options as the team looks to maintain their domestic dominance whilst competing on multiple fronts.
