Luis Enrique Excludes Former Real Madrid Forward from PSG Squad

Paris Saint-Germain's head coach, Luis Enrique, has made a notable decision by excluding Marco Asensio from the squad for the upcoming Coupe de France match against Lens. This exclusion is not due to injury, as the club's medical reports do not list Asensio among the injured players. Instead, it appears to be a tactical choice, indicating that Asensio may no longer be in Enrique's strategic plans.

Asensio, who transferred from Real Madrid to PSG, has found playing time increasingly scarce in recent weeks. In the last seven matches, he has accumulated only 18 minutes on the field: seven minutes during the Champions League loss to Bayern Munich on November 26, and eleven minutes in the draw against Auxerre on December 6. He was entirely absent from matches against Nantes, Lyon, Monaco, and Salzburg. Notably, 19-year-old Désiré Doué has been favored over Asensio, further limiting his opportunities.

Initially, Asensio was utilized as a false nine, especially during Gonçalo Ramos's early-season absence. However, this experiment did not yield the desired results, and Asensio has struggled to make a significant impact during his tenure in Paris. Luis Enrique's recent decision to exclude him from the matchday squad could be a precursor to Asensio's departure in the upcoming winter transfer window, despite the player's expressed happiness in Paris and his desire to reverse his fortunes in the coming weeks.