Ousmane Dembele: Ballon d'Or winner subbed after just 26 minutes as UEFA Champions League holders PSG suffer nightmare start in Monaco

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Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique made the seemingly surprise decision to take off the club's star man Ousmane Dembele in the first half an hour of their UEFA Champions League play-off round first leg clash with Ligue 1 rivals Monaco. The holders were stunned early on in the Principality, courtesy of two early Folarin Balogun goals, prompting the head coach to make an unexpected change.

Ballon d'Or winner Dembele hooked after 26 minutes in shock substitution

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Ousmane Dembele was taken off after just 26 minutes of Paris Saint-Germain's UEFA Champions League play-off round first leg against Monaco.

The reigning European champions found themselves trailing 2-0 against their Ligue 1 rivals after Folarin Balogun scored twice early on.

PSG were gifted a chance to get back into the game when they were awarded a penalty but Vitinha saw his spot-kick saved by Monaco goalkeeper Philippe Kohn.

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But then head coach Luis Enrique had seemingly seen enough and opted to withdraw his star man, who did not appear to be injured, with less than half an hour on the clock.

Speaking as a co-commentator for TNT Sports, Glenn Hoddle said: "He's not limping, I'm sure. The manager said nothing to him, he said nothing to the manager.

"He's gone and sat on the back row, and he's got on with it. You can send a message to the rest of the team, but really, at 26 minutes into the game? Dembele has got the talent to get a goal, I'm not so sure if that's a bit rash."

Desire Doue replaced Dembele and made an instant impact with a goal to halve the deficit, before playing a key role in the equaliser scored by Achraf Hakimi.

L'Equipe reported on the eve of the match that Dembele was a doubt, but the forward did train at the Stade Louis II on Monday night to allay fears he would be forced to watch on from the sidelines.

The report claimed that Dembele had complained about discomfort in his leg, sustained during his side's bruising 3-1 defeat away to Rennes last Friday.

Enrique took a 21-man squad to Monaco and Dembele was given the nod to spearhead the attack, with Bradley Barcola and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia flanking him.

The gamble to field him from the start backfired, however, as PSG found themselves two goals behind. Enrique felt he had no option but to withdraw the 28-year-old after less than half an hour.

The decision to haul off Dembele - whether tactical or due to his injury flaring up - paid instant dividends for Enrique as his replacement Doue scored within two minutes of entering the pitch.

Watch: PSG complete first-half comeback as Hakimi hits superb equaliser

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Before half-time, PSG were level as Hakimi produced a beautiful finish to restore parity. Doue scored his second to complete the turnaround as Monaco imploded with Aleksandr Golovin also sent off for the hosts in the second period.

Prior to the game, Enrique had responded to comments made by Dembele in the aftermath of the Rennes defeat.

Dembele had accused his team-mates of being overly "individualistic" - comments that drew a forceful rebuttal from Enrique, who dismissed all post-match reactions as "worthless" and reiterated that "no player is above the club".

Dembele - who registered 35 goals and 14 assists during the 2024/25 season - did not hold back in his assessment of his team-mates.

"We started the match very poorly," Dembele told Ligue 1+. "Rennes played a very good game, but I think we need to show more desire.

"Above all, we have to play for PSG in order to win matches. If we play as individuals on the pitch, it won't work, we won't win the titles we want.

Super sub Doue hits back for PSG after surprise first-half Dembele replacement

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"Last season, we put the club before everything else, before thinking about ourselves. We have to rediscover that, especially in these matches. We know we're in the second half of the season. And Paris Saint-Germain has to come first, not individual players."

But speaking before the first leg of the UEFA Champions League play-off against Monaco, Enrique responded to Dembele's public words of condemnation, saying: "The players' statements after the match are worthless. Absolutely worthless.

"[So] are the coaches' statements but the players' statements are worthless. I'm not going to answer any question from a player, any response from a player.

PSG in real trouble as Balogun doubles Monaco's lead inside 18 minutes

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"I will never allow any player to be above the club. So, it's clear. I am the person responsible for the team.

"I will not allow any player to think that he is more important than the club. Not me, not the sporting director, not the president.

"So these statements are worthless. They are the result of anger after a match and I think that's clear. We have nothing to lose."

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