Anything but a surprise. Marco Verratti is absent from the list of players selected by coach Luis Enrique to compete in the Champions League, revealed by PSG on Wednesday. The 30-year-old Italian midfielder is expected to join Al-Arabi, Qatar. At the club since 2012, Verratti is coming out of a delicate season and the new Spanish technician no longer counts on him.
Striker Hugo Ekitike, who could have joined Eintracht Frankfurt or an English club this summer, is also one of these “undesirables” and has been removed from this list.
Kimpembe and Nuno Mendes present
On the other hand, goalkeeper Keylor Navas, back after a six-month loan at Nottingham Forest, as well as two long-time injured players, central defender Presnel Kimpembe and left-back Nuno Mendes, are among them.
PSG was placed in group F of the C1 by the draw. A very tough group with Borussia Dortmund (his first opponent, September 19 at the Parc des Princes), AC Milan and Newcastle.