“The absence of just one soul isn’t so bad after all.” Alphonse de Lamartine might have written those words instead, had he lived in the 21st century and witnessed this Paris Saint-Germain side. Ousmane Dembele is expected to miss PSG’s FIFA Club World Cup 2025™ opener against Atlético de Madrid at Rose Bowl Stadium on Sunday. However, the club have more than enough firepower to make up for the expected absence of their top scorer, who has netted 33 goals in 49 matches for PSG this season.
The reigning European champions have already played several times without Dembele during the 2024-25 campaign. On the whole, they have not done too poorly, with six wins and two defeats (2-0 away to Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League in October 2024 and 2-1 away to Strasbourg in Ligue 1 on 3 May). After a closer look at those eight encounters, taking into account the current backdrop, two scenarios emerge.
Goncalo Ramos in pole position
In Dembele’s absence, Luis Enrique has most often handed the reins of PSG’s attack to Goncalo Ramos (in five of eight matches). The Portugal international has rewarded that faith by delivering 80% of the time. In fact, Ramos netted six times across those five matches, failing to score just once. Fresh from UEFA Nations League success and eyeing a perfect season, the Portuguese poacher is a formidable goalscoring machine. His record for PSG this season speaks for itself: 18 goals in 41 appearances, only 16 of which were starts.
Coach Luis Enrique said: “He’s an invaluable player, both for me and for the team. A player of this level gives us a guarantee. He’s ready to play, whether it’s for 0 or 90 minutes. When you see him, he looks older, more mature. You don’t get the feeling that he’s 24 years old [he will be on 20 June], and it’s wonderful to coach a player like Ramos.” Should the Portuguese striker get the nod on Sunday, Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia would likely complete the attacking trio, with Bradley Barcola a doubt due to a knee issue.
Doue to lead the line?
Desire Doue is riding high after a sensational showing in PSG’s 5-0 victory over FC Internazionale Milano in the UEFA Champions League final on 31 May. The performance will no doubt have sparked ideas for Luis Enrique, whose appetite for tactical innovation may well lead him to start the 20-year-old up front. The former Rennes starlet could be the next to follow in the footsteps of Dembele, who was repositioned to great effect by the Spaniard earlier in the season.
Few would be surprised to see Doue thrive at centre-forward – least of all Kylian Mbappe. “Does he impress me? Yes,” the French striker told French football programme Telefoot on Sunday, 8 June. “He’s the poster-boy of the new wave of young players. I get the impression that they are even more carefree than we were… and I thought we were already pretty carefree,” he added, laughing.
If Doue were to line up on one flank, the final piece in PSG’s attacking trident could be Lee Kangin. The striker from Korea Republic has been a model of versatility and commitment, featuring in 45 matches this season (including 26 starts). His return of six goals and six assists across all competitions may just be enough to earn him a starting berth against Atleti on Sunday.
Regardless of the tactics Luis Enrique adopts against Atletico, his objective in the tournament is clear: He stated: “We’re one of the best clubs in the world, one of those who make history, so we’ll be ready to go as far as we can and put ourselves in a position to win the competition.”
