Paris Saint-Germain’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia will undergo surgery after rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during the Champions League win over Barcelona. The Georgian winger twisted the knee in PSG’s 4-2 victory on Tuesday and was helped from the pitch just before the hour, unable to put any weight on his right leg.
Kvaratskhelia landed awkwardly after sprinting back to make a tackle on Xavi Espart and was left clutching his right knee in severe pain. The injury is the most serious of three PSG sustained in the match. Ousmane Dembélé had earlier been forced off with a thigh injury, and defender Marquinhos was substituted with a similar problem. PSG said both players would receive treatment for the next few weeks.
The ACL rupture is a significant blow for Kvaratskhelia, who has been one of the contenders for the Ballon d’Or due to be awarded on Monday. He played a leading role in helping PSG to back-to-back Champions League titles.
Dembélé’s withdrawal adds to a history of injury concern. Luis Enrique used the France forward sparingly in Ligue 1 last season and has rested him twice in the French league this campaign. Dembélé, who scored six goals at the World Cup, struggled with injuries last season and had been beset by leg muscle injuries at his previous club, Barcelona.
Those issues did not prevent Dembélé from playing 50 games in a season for the first time in his career in 2024-25, form that earned him the men’s Ballon d’Or. PSG must now manage his absence alongside Marquinhos’s injury and Kvaratskhelia’s impending surgery.