Moroccan star Achraf Hakimi, right-back for Paris Saint-Germain, is racing against time to be fit for the UEFA Champions League final against Arsenal, scheduled for May 30.
According to French radio station Monte Carlo, there is significant optimism within PSG regarding Hakimi’s availability for the final, after he missed the semi-final second leg against Bayern Munich.
PSG manager Luis Enrique hopes to field a full-strength squad, especially given Hakimi’s positive recovery from a hamstring strain. The technical staff is carefully managing players’ physical condition to avoid burnout ahead of the highly anticipated clash, focusing on goalkeeper Matvey Safonov and midfielder Warren Zaire-Emery, along with encouraging news regarding goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier.
The 27-year-old Hakimi is determined to feature in the European final before joining the Moroccan national team for the World Cup.
Positive indications also surround Lucas Chevalier, who suffered a right thigh injury during training last week that raised fears his season might be over. However, he has begun to recover and is now a candidate to be in the squad.
Luis Enrique and his team face the challenge of managing post-match fatigue from the Bayern Munich game, where players returned exhausted, including Ousmane Dembélé, who was substituted in the 65th minute after significant defensive effort.
Warren Zaire-Emery is also struggling with back pain, which will force the coach to carefully manage his minutes, along with several key players carrying minor knocks.
In a related context, it has been confirmed that Willian Pacho, Nuno Mendes (right thigh injury), and Warren Zaire-Emery will miss the Ligue 1 match against Brest. However, the technical staff is not worried about their availability for the Champions League final.
