Heavy rain storms forced Paris Saint-Germain’s anticipated clash against Olympique Marseille to be delayed throwing a wrench in potential plans for Ousmane Dembélé, Désiré Doué and more as the game is now scheduled to clash with the Ballon d’Or ceremony on Monday.
Originally scheduled for 2:45 p.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 21, storms forced the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) to postpone the game until Monday, Sept. 22 at 8 p.m. ET. While Dembélé and Doué were both absent from the original matchday squad on Sunday, PSG now have a decision to make in terms of who gets to attend the ceremony and who travels to the Bouches-du-Rhône region.
Dembélé is one of the favorites to win the 2025 men’s award after a stellar season leading the line for Luis Enrique. PSG captured their first-ever Champions League title last season defeating Inter Milan in the final. They also won their 13th Ligue 1 title, the Coupe de France and UEFA Super Cup.
Doué is also a favorite for the Kopa Trophy, the award given out to players under the age of 21. Enrique is nominated for coach of the year, an honor he stands a strong chance of winning, while other PSG stars are also shortlisted in other categories including Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, João Neves, Nuno Mendes and Vitinha.
If Dembélé does not attend the ceremony, it would mark a second year in a row where one of the favorites for the men’s Ballon d’Or is absent. Real Madrid star Vinícius Júnior, along with a wider club contingency, skipped last year’s event after it was reported prior to the event that Manchester City midfielder Rodri would be winning the award.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Paris Saint-Germain Stars Given Ballon d’Or Headache Ahead of Ceremony.
