PSG gears up for Champions League showdown with high-stakes internal clash

With just seven days left until the Champions League final, Paris Saint-Germain held a high-intensity internal scrimmage at their Poissy training ground to fine-tune their preparations. Luis Enrique’s squad faced off in an intense 11-a-side matchup, simulating match conditions ahead of the May 30 showdown against Arsenal in Budapest.

The session featured two evenly matched teams, each playing at full throttle for over an hour. The lineups were carefully structured to test different tactical setups:

• Black Team: Marin – Fanne Drame, Zabarnyi, Hernandez, Mendes – Mayulu, Neves, Beraldo – Doué, Ramos, Barcola
• White Team: Safonov – Zaïre-Emery, Pacho, Marquinhos, Cordier – Dro, Vitinha, Ruiz – Mbaye, Lee, Kvaratskhelia

Two key players were notably absent from the friendly battle: Ousmane Dembélé and Achraf Hakimi. Both have been training separately, and their absence from the scrimmage raised no concerns among the technical staff. The club has confirmed both will feature prominently in Budapest come match day. Meanwhile, Nuno Mendes and Willian Pacho, who missed the previous Ligue 1 fixture against Paris FC, took part in the session.

The coaching staff also gave opportunities to young talents, including Abdou Fanne Drame, Rayan Abo El Nay, Thomas Cordier, and Yanis Khafi. Goals were found by Vitinha, Ibrahim Mbaye, and Gonçalo Ramos during the spirited encounter.

Fan engagement and final preparations

The closed-door match wasn’t just about fitness—it was also a celebration. Around 1,000 passionate ultras were invited to create a stadium-like atmosphere, with the Collective Paris Ultras delivering motivational messages via a banner reading: “Once is historic, twice is legendary.” Over 150 young members from PSG for Communities were also in attendance, personally welcomed by President Nasser Al-Khelaïfi.

As a gesture of gratitude, Marquinhos and his teammates presented signed jerseys and footballs to the fans in the stands. After resting on Sunday and Monday, the players will return to training on Tuesday, stepping into the final stretch of their campaign.