Barcola and Zaire-Emery will not be released by PSG to join the French Olympic team

The main reason given by PSG is an extremely busy 2024/2025 season and the desire to protect the physical integrity of the players.

The two French footballers from PSG who could have participated in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Bradley Barcola and Warren Zaire-Emery, will not be released by their club, the sports management of Radio France learned from consistent sources. They are also both selected for the French team for the Euro which takes place from June 14 to July 14.

The main reason given is an extremely busy 2024-2025 season, with the new format of the Champions League, with eight group matches compared to six previously, and the Club World Cup, a new competition launched by Fifa, which will be held from June 15 to July 13, 2025. Several sources indicate to the sports management the desire of PSG to protect the physical integrity of the players, who will be in great demand next season.

Warren Zaire-Emery, who discovered the France Espoirs team in September 2023, was promoted by captain Thierry Henry, before joining the Blues in November. As for Bradley Barcola, the Bleuets coach had made him one of his basic men in attack.

Thierry Henry must communicate, next Monday, a pre-list of 26 or 27 players for the Olympic tournament. The final list must be communicated to the IOC on July 3. For the moment, many unclear areas persist regarding the availability of certain players.

Monaco, as announced to the sports management, will not block its midfielder Maghnes Akliouche. Leipzig defender Castello Lukeba also obtained permission from his club to be included in the list, the sports management learned from people close to the player, confirming information from the Parisian.

At Stade Rennais, Désiré Doué, Adrien Truffert and Arnaud Kalimuendo are potential candidates for the Olympic team. The Breton club indicates that it will authorize their participation, or not, “case by case”.

On the other hand, there is little hope that LOSC will release Lucas Chevalier, Bafodé Diakité or Leny Yoro, indicates France Bleu Nord. Lille, fourth in Ligue 1 this season, will play the preliminary round of the Champions League during the Olympic tournament.