Dembélé jokes he might ask for more holidays after starring in PSG’s win at Man City

PARIS (AP) — Ousmane Dembélé joked he might ask coach Luis Enrique for more time off after starring in Paris Saint-Germain's 4-2 win at Manchester City in the Champions League.

The Ballon d'Or winner scored one goal and assisted on another in Wednesday's game. Luis Enrique had rested him after the recent international break, allowing Dembélé to sit out Saturday's home game against Le Mans, and he looked razor-sharp against City.

“After the international break I went on holiday. Actually, I might ask for more holidays,” Dembélé told broadcaster Canal Plus. “I really enjoy playing on Tuesday and Wednesday, especially when I come back from holiday. It’s a real pleasure."

Asked if he would go on holiday again, a smiling Dembélé added: “It's possible, until March I think. It’s the coach who decides.”

PSG has a trip to Strasbourg in Ligue 1 on Saturday, ahead of another high-profile Champions League game at home to Lamine Yamal's free-scoring Barcelona next Tuesday.

Luis Enrique may again rest players. He also omitted left-back Nuno Mendes against Le Mans, while Dembélé sat out a game against Lille in Ligue 1 earlier this season.

Dembélé won the French league's best player award last season, despite starting only nine games in PSG's title-winning campaign. The decision to award him the trophy over other players who played significantly more games led to criticism.

City coach Enzo Maresca said PSG enjoys a luxury his team and other Premier League sides don't have, being able to rotate players against modest Ligue 1 sides.

“They can manage players when they play games before the Champions League," he said. “For us, it’s a bit different, especially when you go (to) Anfield.”

City played Premier League rival Liverpool in a heated atmosphere on Sunday, giving Maresca's side one day less to prepare for the PSG game.

Last season, the French league accepted PSG's request to postpone its game against title rival Lens to allow better preparation for a Champions League quarterfinal against Liverpool __ a decision perceived by some observers as preferential treatment.

Dembélé has scored three Champions League goals, but has not yet found the net in four Ligue 1 matches this season. PSG is in sixth place after six rounds and some performances have fallen below expectations.

“We couldn’t care less that people doubted us. We're in October, it's only the second game of the Champions League," he said. "We just need to stay on track during the first half of the season and prepare for the second.”

However, he acknowledged PSG's concentration dropped off against City.

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PSG's head coach Luis Enrique looks from the bench before the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain in Manchester, England, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

PSG's Ousmane Dembele scores their second goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain in Manchester, England, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

PSG's Ousmane Dembele scores their second goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain in Manchester, England, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

WUHAN, China (AP) — Iga Swiatek kept up her push to qualify for the WTA Finals as she ground out a 6-1, 6-4 win over American Ashlyn Krueger to reach the quarterfinals of the Wuhan Open and take advantage of a loss for Karolina Muchova on Thursday.

Krueger, in the draw as a lucky loser after defeat in qualifying, was able to put pressure on Swiatek for parts of the second set, despite racking up 44 unforced errors to the Polish player's 27.

Swiatek could face another American in the quarterfinals as Ann Li was playing Indonesia's Janice Tjen later Thursday.

Winning the title would allow Swiatek to put pressure on Muchova in the Race to the WTA Finals rankings ahead of the season-ending event next month in Indian Wells, California. Swiatek, who’s reached the finals each year since 2021, is 10th in the Race with the top eight qualifying.

Wimbledon finalist and sixth-seeded Muchova lost 7-5, 6-3 to 11th-seeded Diana Shnaider, who next plays former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko.

Fifth-seeded Elina Svitolina broke Guo Hanyu's serve in the opening and final games and beat the Chinese wild-card entry 6-1, 6-4 to advance to the quarterfinals.

Guo was coming off a breakout run, including her first career top-20 win in the first round against Sorana Cirstea despite being ranked 240th.

Elina Svitolina, who lost in the quarterfinals at the China Open last week to eventual champion Zheng Qinwen, next plays Sonay Kartal after the British player stunned Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 6-0 in barely an hour.

Tenth-seeded young American Iva Jovic was upset 6-4, 6-1 by Maja Chwalinska.

On Wednesday, top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka and second-seeded Jessica Pegula lost their second-round matches.

It marked two straight losses for Sabalenka, who was beaten by Nikola Bartunkova in the third round at the China Open last week and had a bye in the opening round at Wuhan.

See AP’s full tennis coverage here

Iga Swiatek of Poland celebrates after defeating Iva Jovic of the United States in the fourth round of the women's singles match at the China Open tennis tournament in Beijing, Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)

Elina Svitolina, of Ukraine, leaves the court after losing against Zheng Qinwen, of China, during the quarterfinals of the women's singles match at the China Open tennis tournament in Beijing, Friday, Oct. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)