Luis Enrique has a genuine tactical headache just hours before the eagerly awaited clash against Barcelona at the Parc des Princes. The Spanish coach, who has one of the strongest squads in Europe at his disposal, suddenly finds himself without the most important piece of his defensive system for stopping the biggest threat of all: Lamine Yamal.
Nuno Mendes, widely regarded as the best left-back in the world at present, suffered a serious injury against Strasbourg that will keep him out for several weeks. That leaves a huge void on Paris Saint-Germain's left flank.
The Parisian board did strengthen that position this summer, signing veteran Frenchman Lucas Digne from Aston Villa for 7 million euros to act as Mendes' replacement. But that solution is causing considerable concern within the coaching staff ahead of tomorrow's showdown.
Spanish newspaper "Sport" pointed out that Digne, 33, carries a painful memory against this very opponent. He conceded the penalty that paved the way for Spain's win at the 2026 World Cup, and he lived through a real nightmare against Lamine Yamal throughout the match.
That night still stings. The French defender afterwards released a heartfelt statement on social media in which he said: "I feel hugely disappointed in myself, in this team and in all the effort we put in. I'm thinking of everyone who travelled with us and everyone who supported us from France and around the world. Despite this great disappointment, I remain proud to represent our country."
Enrique fears that nightmare could repeat itself at the Parc des Princes, especially as the Barcelona star is going through the best spell of his career. Against Real Betis he produced a superb goal, an expertly executed decisive assist and an all-round performance under Hansi Flick.
So the Asturian coach is weighing up his difficult options. The other alternative is Lucas Hernandez (30), whom he has not relied on much this season and who often plays as a centre-back, or even moving a midfielder such as Warren Zaire-Emery to full-back, a solution considered unlikely against a winger of Lamine's calibre.
Nobody at PSG wants a repeat of the World Cup semi-final. Digne will need double the support from midfield through Vitinha and Fabian Ruiz, and from the opposite flank from Kvaratskhelia, who is expected to start.
Enrique's squad is deep enough to field a competitive team without excuses, but Mendes' absence remains a crushing blow. The Portuguese was the only player able to match Lamine in the World Cup round of 16 with his relentless individual challenges, so much so that Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said at the time: "He got the better of him."
And now, the confidence Lamine has gained from seeing an opponent he recently got the better of, such as Digne, could make him more dangerous than ever.