Paris Saint-Germain could face selection problems ahead of their UEFA Champions League meeting with Barcelona after Nuno Mendes and Maghnes Akliouche reportedly suffered fitness issues during their encounter with Strasbourg.

According to a report by Barca Universal on Sunday, October 18, 2026, both players are doubts for Wednesday’s match, leaving manager Luis Enrique waiting for updates on their conditions before deciding whether they will be available.

The potential absences come as PSG prepare to face a Barcelona side that has made an impressive start to the campaign, winning all 11 of its matches across competitions. However, the Catalan club will face a significant challenge against the reigning European champions.

Mundo Deportivo reports that Mendes experienced discomfort towards the end of the Strasbourg fixture and was forced to leave the pitch. PSG have yet to confirm the severity of the Portuguese defender’s problem, leaving his availability for the Barcelona clash uncertain.

Akliouche also reportedly experienced muscular discomfort during the game. The French club will assess the midfielder’s condition before determining whether he can feature in the important European encounter.

Barcelona are facing defensive concerns of their own, with Andreas Christensen still unavailable. Gerard Martin, Eric Garcia and Jules Kounde also suffered knocks during the recent victory over Real Betis, raising doubts about their readiness for the PSG showdown.

The situation could create a difficult selection decision for Hansi Flick, particularly in central defence. Should the three defenders fail to recover in time, Pau Cubarsi could be the only recognised centre-back available to the Barcelona manager.

Flick may consequently consider deploying Frenkie de Jong in a defensive role, having previously experimented with the Dutch midfielder in that position following his return from injury. Another possibility would be to promote promising youngsters from Barcelona’s La Masia academy.

Nevertheless, Barcelona will hope at least one of Garcia, Kounde or Martin recovers in time to strengthen their defensive options for the crucial fixture.

With both sides monitoring their players’ fitness, the final injury assessments could have a significant influence on team selection ahead of Wednesday’s highly anticipated Champions League encounter.