He played through the pain when PSG needed him most, but now Achraf Hakimi’s hamstring tear has dealt Luis Enrique’s side a potentially decisive blow as they prepare to defend a 5-4 lead at the Allianz Arena on May 6.
Paris Saint-Germain have confirmed that Achraf Hakimi will miss the Champions League semi-final second leg against Bayern Munich after sustaining a thigh injury in Tuesday’s 5-4 first leg victory at the Parc des Princes. The Moroccan fullback picked up the injury in the 88th minute while contesting a ball with Konrad Laimer, and with PSG having already used all their substitutions, he was forced to play through the pain until the final whistle.
Medical tests carried out on Wednesday confirmed the extent of the damage, with the club announcing that Hakimi will be sidelined for the next few weeks, ruling him out of the second leg at the Allianz Arena on May 6.
The moment of concern came in the 88th minute of the first-leg clash, which was one of the most thrilling Champions League performances at the Parc des Princes on Tuesday evening. Hakimi collapsed to the turf after contesting a ball with Bayern’s Konrad Laimer, immediately grabbing the back of his right leg in visible discomfort.
With PSG having already exhausted all three of their substitutions, Luis Enrique was left with no option but to watch helplessly from the touchline as his star defender was forced to play through the pain until the final whistle.
While PSG’s initial statement described the problem as a right thigh injury — the cautious, diplomatic language that clubs typically use to protect sensitive medical information — it was RMC Sport’s respected football journalist Fabrice Hawkins who revealed the more serious picture, reporting that medical tests carried out on Wednesday had confirmed a hamstring tear.
For a player who had been one of PSG’s most influential performers throughout the evening, constantly pressuring Bayern’s Luis Diaz and matching his explosive pace, it was a cruel and painful way to end his night on the pitch.
Paris Saint-Germain wasted no time in addressing the situation, releasing an official statement on Wednesday evening that left little room for confidence. The club confirmed that Hakimi had sustained a right thigh injury during Tuesday’s first leg and would remain sidelined for the next few weeks — a timeline that effectively rules him out of the return leg at the Allianz Arena on May 6.
In the same statement, PSG also revealed a second injury update, confirming that backup goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier had sustained a right thigh injury of his own during Wednesday morning’s training session and would similarly be unavailable for the foreseeable future.
For Luis Enrique, the euphoria of a famous 5-4 victory had given way to a very difficult Wednesday morning. PSG will now be hoping that Hakimi returns for the final part of the season.
The absence of Achraf Hakimi is not simply the loss of a defender; it is the loss of a system. Under Luis Enrique, Hakimi has been far more than a defensive option on the right side of PSG’s backline. He is the engine of their attacking transitions — the player whose explosive pace and precision crossing turns defence into attack in the blink of an eye — and his defensive ability gives PSG’s front line the freedom to be devastating.
Against Bayern Munich specifically, his role was critical. His relentless pressure on the dangerous Luis Diaz throughout Tuesday’s first leg neutralised one of Bayern’s most potent attacking threats, and his ability to match the Colombian’s pace and directness gave PSG a structural advantage that will be extremely difficult to replicate without him.
Without Hakimi at the Allianz Arena, Bayern’s coaching staff will identify a clear and exploitable weakness on PSG’s right flank. With the tie still finely poised at 5-4, Luis Enrique knows that one lapse in defensive organisation could be enough to swing the entire match in Bayern’s favour.
The burden of filling those boots now falls on the young shoulders of 20-year-old Warren Zaïre-Emery — a midfielder by trade. He is no stranger to the big occasion. Since becoming PSG’s youngest ever player at 16, he has broken records for the youngest goal scorer, youngest Champions League knockout starter, and youngest French player to record an assist in the competition.
This season, he has been ever-present, registering two goals and five assists in 38 appearances across all competitions, earning praise from Luis Enrique, who calls him “one of the most mature players I have ever seen.”
A natural midfielder with the versatility to operate at right back — a role Enrique has deployed him in before — Zaïre-Emery will be the potential replacement for Hakimi. For a team like Bayern Munich, with their attacking threat at the Allianz Arena, it is a task that even the most experienced fullback in Europe would approach with caution.
Beyond the immediate concern of the Champions League second leg, Hakimi’s injury also raises concerns for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Morocco’s opening group stage game against Brazil is just 38 days away, and with the Atlas Lions widely seen as one of Africa’s strongest representatives at the tournament, the timing of this injury could not be worse.
Hakimi is not just a key player for Morocco; he is their captain, their key man, and the heartbeat of everything Walid Regragui’s side does going forward. His explosive pace, precision crossing, and ability to cover vast amounts of ground both defensively and offensively make him virtually irreplaceable in the Moroccan system.
His absence for a few weeks is a timeline that, while concerning, does offer a narrow window of hope. If his recovery progresses smoothly, Hakimi could return in time not only for a potential Champions League final but also for Morocco’s World Cup campaign.
However, for a player who suffered a hamstring tear, rushing back too soon carries its own dangerous risks. Neither PSG nor Morocco can afford to lose him to a recurrence of the same injury at the worst possible moment.
The defender, with his qualities on the right flank — in both defensive and attacking duties — has shown how vital he is to the PSG team. His resilience and commitment, the sacrifices on the pitch, are outstanding, making him an important piece of the puzzle.
The cruel irony is that the very instinct that makes Achraf Hakimi so extraordinary — his refusal to quit and determination to fight through anything — may have been the very thing that made his injury worse.
The hope is that Achraf Hakimi’s story this season is far from over.
