Bradley Barcola has been left out of Paris Saint-Germain’s squad for the third game in a row, missing their 21-man group for Sunday’s Ligue 1 opener against Rennes.
The 23-year-old forward was also not involved in PSG’s victory over Aston Villa in the Super Cup or their defeat to Lens in the French Super Cup, so this latest omission extends a clear early-season pattern. With the Ligue 1 title defence beginning, Barcola’s absence is difficult to ignore.
PSG have added more attacking depth
The reason for the crowded picture is straightforward enough. PSG have strengthened their attack this summer while keeping Ousmane Dembele, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Desire Doue in the squad. That gives Luis Enrique more options, but it also makes the competition for minutes tougher.
Barcola’s situation has therefore become one of the more closely watched selection calls around PSG. He has been linked with Liverpool and Arsenal, and the repeated squad omissions will only keep that conversation alive as the transfer market remains open.
For PSG, the immediate priority is the league opener and a strong start to the new season. For Barcola, the bigger question is whether this is simply a short-term selection decision or the beginning of a more complicated spell at the club.
What it means going forward
At the moment, the message is clear: PSG are starting the campaign with three new attacking signings in place, and Barcola is not part of the matchday plan. If that continues, the transfer speculation around him will not go away anytime soon.
