FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - World Cup - UEFA Qualifiers - Group D - Ukraine v France - Wroclaw Stadium, Wroclaw, Poland - September 5, 2025 France's Desire Doue in action with Ukraine's Yehor Yarmoliuk REUTERS/Kacper Pempel/File Photo
PARIS (Reuters) -Paris St Germain said France's medical staff ignored their recommendations on injury risks and acceptable workload for the club's players, after Ousmane Dembele and Desire Doue suffered injuries during Friday's World Cup qualifier against Ukraine.
Forward Dembele faces about six weeks on the sidelines with an injured left hamstring while winger Doue will be out for around four weeks due to a calf problem after they picked up the injuries during a 2-0 win over Ukraine in Poland.
European champions PSG said on Sunday that they had called for a "more transparent and collaborative medical-sporting coordination protocol between clubs and the national team" in a letter to the French Football Federation.
"(PSG) had sent the federation concrete medical information, even before the French national team began training, on the acceptable workload and injury risks for its players," the club said in a statement.
"The club regrets that these medical recommendations were not taken into account by the French national team's medical staff and that there was a total lack of consultation with its medical teams."
PSG said exchanges between clubs and France's medical staff should be documented and a "precautionary principle" should be followed when selecting players for national duty, particularly when they are undergoing treatment for a medical condition.
"The recent serious and avoidable events must give rise to rapid and immediate corrective measures," they added.
France coach Didier Deschamps defended his decision to field Dembele on Friday, saying the forward was fit despite being substituted during a Ligue 1 game at Toulouse on August 30 following a right hamstring issue.
"I was sure that he was capable of playing a high level match, otherwise I would not have played him. This time, it's the other thigh," Deschamps said. "He was fit. It is unfortunate for him but could have happened to another player."
(Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in Bengaluru; Editing by Ken Ferris)
