Paris woke on Wednesday with the glow of a 4-2 European night over Barcelona already tempered by a far more serious concern. Paris Saint-Germain’s victory at the Parc des Princes preserved a perfect Champions League record after three league-phase matches, but it also brought confirmation that Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.
The 25-year-old Georgian forward will undergo surgery in the coming days. PSG have not set a formal timetable for his return, although the injury is expected to rule him out for the remainder of the 2026/27 campaign.
Kvaratskhelia was hurt 13 minutes into the second half after contesting the ball with Barcelona right-back Xavi Espart. He went down holding his right knee and could not leave the pitch normally, requiring assistance from the medical staff before Maghnes Akliouche took his place. Tests on Tuesday night pointed to a major problem, and an MRI on Wednesday established the extent of the damage.
It is a painful interruption for a player central to Paris’s continental rise. Kvaratskhelia was among the leading figures in PSG’s Champions League-winning run last season, when UEFA named him the competition’s best player. He is also in contention for the Ballon d’Or.
In a message to supporters, Kvaratskhelia reflected on the suddenness of an injury unlike anything he had previously experienced. He said he prays before every game to leave the field healthy, and admitted he was still asking himself why this particular setback had come to him.
“I prepared for this match as perhaps never before,” he wrote. “I thought I was ready for everything, but I was not. I understand that I have been chosen to go through months of hard work, pain and tears. I know I must return stronger for my people, who have always supported me. I will not let them down and I will not waste a second.”
A costly evening behind the scoreline
Kvaratskhelia was not the only Paris player to leave with a physical issue. Ousmane Dembélé sustained a muscle injury in his left thigh and was substituted for Ferran Torres after 20 minutes of the first half. Captain Marquinhos then came off in the 59th minute with a problem in his right thigh, with Illia Zabarnyi entering the defence almost simultaneously with Akliouche’s introduction for Kvaratskhelia.
Both Dembélé and Marquinhos will continue treatment over the coming weeks. The absences add to Luis Enrique’s concerns at a stage of the season when domestic and European fixtures begin to overlap, with left-back Nuno Mendes already unavailable as he recovers from a muscle injury.
For all the disruption, PSG found enough attacking force to overcome Barcelona. Désiré Doué, Lucas Hernández, Vitinha and Fabián Ruiz scored the goals that carried the French champions to nine points from nine in the Champions League league phase.
The next stop is Lyon on Sunday in the French league, before Villarreal visit in Europe on 3 November. Paris will take the points and the momentum from Barcelona’s visit, but the coming months will now also be shaped by the long rehabilitation awaiting one of the club’s most important players.
