Kvaratskhelia vows to come back stronger as Ronaldo leads tributes to PSG star

Paris Saint-Germain star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, dealing a severe blow to the French champions during their Champions League campaign. The injury occurred during a high-stakes European encounter on Tuesday, where Paris Saint-Germain secured a 4-2 victory over LaLiga giants Barcelona at the Parc des Princes. The 25-year-old was forced off the field in the 59th minute following a heavy collision with Xavi Espart, requiring assistance to leave the pitch.

Subsequent scans confirmed the worst possible news for the Ligue 1 giants, with Paris Saint-Germain confirming that the Georgian international will undergo reconstructive surgery in the coming days. While the French club has not specified an exact timeline for his return, an injury of this nature typically sidelines a player for the remainder of the campaign. The setback hits the club during an already testing injury crisis, as Paris Saint-Germain are also expected to be without Ousmane Dembele and Marquinhos after both players sustained injuries in the same match against Barcelona. Nuno Mendes was another notable absentee from the midweek fixture.

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Kvaratskhelia vows to come back stronger as Ronaldo leads tributes to PSG star

The footballing world quickly rallied around the winger, with Al-Nassr superstar Cristiano Ronaldo leading the global tributes. Ronaldo, drawing on his own career experiences with physical challenges, left an emotional comment on the winger's Instagram page:

"The hardest battles in football are often the ones nobody sees. I know that feeling, Kvara. But never forget what brought you this far, and don't let a difficult moment make you doubt how far you can go. Keep that fire on. Your best is still to come."

Cristiano Ronaldo, via Instagram

Teammates at the Parc des Princes also flooded social media with messages of solidarity. Ousmane Dembele shared a message of support on his Instagram story, telling him to stay strong, while Desire Doue offered a spiritual message of encouragement to his fellow forward, telling him that God is with him and that he will return stronger.

In his own public statement issued on social media on Wednesday, Kvaratskhelia reflected on the sudden blow and expressed his readiness to confront the months of rehabilitation ahead.

"Many people asked me about this stand; many said that if all the footballers in the world prayed, the game would end in a draw. This could be true, but before every game I play, I ask God to leave the field healthy, but in vain. It hasn't been a long time, but it's still on my mind – why me anyway? I have never missed anything; probably I prepared for this game, the best I have ever prepared for. I thought I was prepared for everything, but not, and I realise that God chose me and if I protected the players on another field, I'm ready to go through these months in labour, pain, tears. I know I have to come back stronger for my people who always have my back. I won't let you down. I promise I won't waste a second. Thank you all for your support. See you soon."

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Paris Saint-Germain winger, via Instagram

The winger's absence is a monumental loss for Paris Saint-Germain, given his status as one of Europe's most prolific attacking players and a contender for individual accolades following stellar performances. Since arriving in the French capital from Napoli in January 2025, Kvaratskhelia has secured nine major honours. Across all competitions, he has made 91 appearances for the Parisians, registering 47 goal involvements comprising 29 goals and 18 assists, alongside separate club data highlighting 19 goals in 48 appearances during the most recent season alone. His contributions have been central to Paris Saint-Germain's recent dominance, which includes back-to-back Champions League titles highlighted by his goal in the 5-0 thrashing of Inter in the 2024-25 showpiece match.