Ousmane Dembélé is feeling ambitious heading into the crucial part of the season and fully intends to star for Paris Saint-Germain and France.
Not only does the speedy forward finally feel fit after nagging injuries but he wants to steal the limelight again. Like he did last season when he helped PSG win the Champions League for the first time and he won the Ballon d’Or.
“I am even more determined to win another trophy with PSG,” he said on Monday, a day ahead of the Champions League return leg against Chelsea. “It’s also a World Cup year and I’m extremely motivated. I know I’ve had some injury problems but I need to show myself.”
Calf and hamstring injuries have forced Dembélé to miss 14 matches and to limp off in other games.
But his superb solo goal in the 5-2 first-leg win last Wednesday — when he ran from the halfway line — was more like the Dembélé of last season and his career-best mark of 35 goals.
“I like to get on the ball a lot. I like to peel off and make a lot of runs, and you need to be at 100% to play in this role. I want to score or assist in every game and that hasn’t changed.”
Dembélé is entering his peak years at 28 and is not shy about using his status to influence the team.
Following a dismal 3-1 loss at Rennes last month, he issued a rebuke to his teammates in a post-match interview.
“I think we need to show more desire,” he said. “Because if we play as individuals on the pitch it won’t work, we won’t win the trophies we want.”
Without giving names, he suggested some players were putting themselves first.
“Paris Saint-Germain should come first, not individual players,” he said.
Dembélé’s comments led coach Luis Enrique to say the team should keep a united front. But an unrepentant Dembélé stood by his comments on Monday.
“I don’t regret it, that’s the only way PSG can win. It was a message for the whole team and I think it bore fruit,” Dembélé said. “In some games we could have passed to the player in a better position. But the issue was quickly resolved, there were no arguments or anything in the dressing room.”
Since dropping him for a Champions League game at Arsenal early last season on disciplinary grounds, Luis Enrique has become Dembélé’s biggest fan.
“He is incredible to have as a player. He is able to change his way of playing,” Luis Enrique said. “As a fan it’s always pleasing to watch him when he’s on the ball.”
France fans will hope he does better at the World Cup: Dembélé went off in the first half during the defeat to Argentina in the 2022 final. ___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
