Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) has publicly criticized France's national team medical staff following injuries to two of its players, Ousmane Dembele and Desire Doue, during a World Cup qualifier against Ukraine. The club is demanding a more transparent and collaborative medical protocol between clubs and national teams to prioritize player health.

PSG expressed its frustration in a statement, revealing that they had provided the French Football Federation (FFF) with "concrete medical information" regarding acceptable workloads and injury risks for their players before the international break. The club regrets that these recommendations were disregarded, and there was a "total lack of consultation" with PSG's medical team.

The injuries sustained by Dembele and Doue are expected to sideline them for several weeks. Dembele is facing approximately six weeks out due to a hamstring injury, while Doue is expected to be out for around four weeks with a calf problem. Both players were injured during France's 2-0 victory over Ukraine. Dembele, who is considered a Ballon d'Or contender, came on as a halftime substitute for Doue, but he was later substituted himself in the 81st minute. These injuries mean that both players are set to miss key matches for PSG, including their Champions League clash against Barcelona on October 1st.

PSG's statement called for "rapid and immediate corrective measures" to prevent similar situations in the future. The club is advocating for documented exchanges between clubs and the French national team's medical staff, as well as the implementation of a "precautionary principle" when selecting players for national duty, especially those undergoing treatment for medical conditions. PSG argues that the recent injuries were "serious and avoidable".

In a letter to FFF President Philippe Diallo, PSG expressed concerns about the health protection of national team players and requested changes to the procedures of the national squad's medical team. The club cited Dembele and Lucas Hernandez as examples of players who were allegedly kept with the squad despite health issues that were incompatible with competitive play. PSG also criticized the alleged lack of communication and unilateral decision-making between the federation and club medical teams.

France's national team coach Didier Deschamps defended his decision to play Dembele, stating that he believed Dembele was fit and capable of playing at a high level. Deschamps also commented on Doue, saying that the player wanted to play and that "the desire to play takes precedent over a lot of things".

PSG emphasized that it will continue to support the national team, but it also made clear that a fixed framework for the exchange of medical data needs to be established to ensure players are used more cautiously in cases of strain or ongoing treatments. The club insists that the health of the players and their medical care must be the absolute priority.