PSG's Dembele out of Athletic Bilbao clash

His absence adds to a recent disrupted run of form in which he has struggled for consistent match fitness

Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - Paris St Germain v Stade Rennes - Parc des Princes, Paris, France - Dec 6, 2025 Paris St Germain's Ousmane Dembele REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

Paris St Germain forward Ousmane Dembele has been ruled out of Wednesday's Champions League trip to Athletic Bilbao after falling ill, the defending champions said on Tuesday.

The 28-year-old, winner of the 2025 Ballon d'Or, has been unwell since Monday and was deemed unfit for the league phase fixture in Spain.

Dembele's absence adds to a recent disrupted run of form in which he has struggled for consistent match fitness.

He missed domestic fixtures against Olympique Lyonnais and Le Havre with a calf injury before returning to action on Nov 26 in PSG's 5-3 Champions League win over Tottenham Hotspur, when he played 12 minutes as a substitute.

The France international then made further cameo appearances off the bench in a 1-0 defeat by Monaco on Nov 29 and a 5-0 Ligue 1 victory over Rennes last weekend, clocking close to half an hour in each match.

Against Rennes, Dembele set up Goncalo Ramos in stoppage time, suggesting a gradual return to sharpness before illness struck ahead of Wednesday's European tie.

PSG are second in the 36-team league with 12 points from five games while Athletic Bilbao sit in 27th place on four points.