PSG Beat Barcelona 4-2 but Lose Winger Kvaratskhelia to a Torn Knee Ligament
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Paris Saint-Germain beat Barcelona 4-2 in a Champions League match on Tuesday, Oct. 20, but the win came at a cost. Winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee, and the club said he will have surgery in the coming days.
Two more PSG regulars, Ousmane Dembélé and Marquinhos, also left the game hurt, according to The Guardian and USA Today.
How the match unfolded
Al Jazeera reported that the game was level at 2-2 when Vitinha controlled the ball on his chest and shot in from just outside the box in the 81st minute at the Parc des Princes. Fabian Ruiz then scored from close range to seal PSG's third win in as many matches in this season's competition.
Desire Doue had opened the scoring in the 38th minute after Barcelona's Lamine Yamal gave the ball away in his own half. Barcelona's Xavi Espart equalized early in the second half. Lucas Hernandez put PSG back in front with a header from a corner, and Yamal pulled Barcelona level again before Vitinha's goal decided it.
Al Jazeera noted that PSG, the reigning champions, have now won seven games in a row across Ligue 1 and the Champions League.
What PSG said about the injuries
According to USA Today, PSG announced the injuries on Wednesday, Oct. 21. The club said Kvaratskhelia suffered the ligament rupture in Tuesday's match. It said Dembélé, with a left thigh injury, and Marquinhos, with a right thigh injury, would each remain under treatment for the next few weeks.
Accounts of the Kvaratskhelia injury differ slightly. The Guardian said he landed awkwardly after sprinting back to make a tackle on Espart and was helped off just before the hour, unable to put weight on the leg. USA Today described a collision with Espart. Al Jazeera, in its match report, described Dembélé's problem as a hamstring injury, while PSG's statement referred to a thigh injury. Dembélé came off after 20 minutes.
The Guardian published a message from Kvaratskhelia on Instagram. He wrote that he had asked God before every game to let him leave the pitch healthy, and that he kept asking himself, “why me?” He added that he would come back stronger.
How long could he be out?
PSG did not give a return date for the winger. Estimates in the sources differ. The Guardian said ACL injuries typically need a recovery period of at least six months. USA Today said recovery after ACL surgery typically takes around nine months, though it can be shorter or longer depending on the severity of the injury and rehab progress. USA Today said he will miss all or most of the 2026-27 season.
Why it matters for PSG and for fans
For fans following the Champions League, the injuries affect one of the tournament's leading contenders. PSG are chasing a third straight title, and USA Today called losing Kvaratskhelia a major blow. The 25-year-old has 29 goals and 20 assists in 91 games for the club, according to the paper, which described him as one of the best players in the world at his position.
Al Jazeera wrote before the injury news that Luis Enrique's side looked well placed to reach the knockout phase comfortably. That assessment came before the club confirmed the extent of the injuries, and it is not clear how the absences will change PSG's lineup.
The injury also touches the individual awards race. Kvaratskhelia finished 12th in the 2025 Ballon d'Or voting and is among the 30 finalists for the 2026 award, USA Today reported. The Guardian said the Ballon d'Or will be awarded on Monday. Dembélé won the men's award last year.
What happens next
Kvaratskhelia is due to have surgery in the coming days, and the club has not announced a timetable for his return. Dembélé and Marquinhos will be treated for the next few weeks, according to PSG. The club has not said when either might be available again.
Around Prague, based on reporting by Al Jazeera, The Guardian, USA Today
