Ousmane Dembélé is embracing the challenge as the season approaches a pivotal phase and aims to shine for both Paris Saint-Germain and the French national team. He and manager Luis Enrique plan to maintain pressure on Chelsea in the upcoming second leg of their Champions League matchup on Tuesday.
Dembélé, feeling fit after struggling with injuries, is eager to regain his spotlight. Last season, he played a crucial role in PSG’s first Champions League victory and earned the Ballon d’Or.
“I’m even more determined to claim another trophy with PSG,” he stated on Monday, one day before the Champions League return against Chelsea. “With the World Cup approaching, my motivation is at an all-time high. Despite my injury setbacks, I know I need to prove myself.”
This season, calf and hamstring issues have caused Dembélé to miss 14 matches and forced him to exit others prematurely.
However, his stunning solo goal during the first leg, where he surged from the halfway line in a 5-2 victory, resembled the form that saw him score a career-high 35 goals last season.
“I thrive on getting on the ball, making runs, and being actively involved. To fulfill this role, I need to be perfectly fit. I strive to either score or assist in every match, and that hasn’t changed,” Dembélé remarked.
While a three-goal advantage may seem daunting for Chelsea, who have stumbled out of the Premier League’s top four, Luis Enrique anticipates a tough match ahead.
“There are four teams carrying three-goal advantages,” the PSG coach noted, referring to Manchester City, Tottenham, and Sporting CP. “We’ll see how many secure qualification. There’s no room for complacency in the Champions League; Chelsea will surely create opportunities.”
Last season, PSG nearly faltered against Aston Villa in the quarterfinals, despite winning the first leg 3-1 in Paris and taking a 2-0 lead in the return. They ended up narrowly escaping extra time with a 3-2 deficit.
“That was a clear example of how quickly things can change in football,” Luis Enrique observed.
Dembélé expressed confidence in PSG’s ability to withstand any potential comeback.
“Luis Enrique mentioned resilience, which truly defines our team. It’s essential to know how to endure in this competition,” he noted. “Every team that has triumphed has faced similar hardships, as we did against Aston Villa and Arsenal in the semifinals last season.”
However, Dembélé clarified that PSG won’t solely focus on defending.
“We can’t just sit back in the final third and defend a lead,” he stated. “Our mindset is always aimed at winning the game.”
One challenge for PSG lies in selecting who will feature in the starting lineup from their star-studded roster.
Dembélé is guaranteed a spot, but Luis Enrique must decide between Khvicha Kvaratskhelia—potentially the world’s premier goal-scoring winger—Désiré Doué, who netted twice in last year’s Champions League final, or the revitalized Bradley Barcola.
Kvaratskhelia made a significant impact as a substitute in the first leg, scoring twice and setting up Vitinha‘s goal, helping PSG secure a decisive win. The scores were level and Chelsea appeared dangerous until a critical mistake from goalkeeper Filip Jörgensen in the 74th minute swung momentum in PSG’s favor.
For Kvaratskhelia’s first goal, he cut in from the left and unleashed a powerful strike past Jörgensen. Though he prefers playing on the left, this position is occupied by Barcola, whose excellent form makes him hard to drop from the starting XI.
“Many players adapt their positions,” Dembélé noted. “The coach appreciates players with versatile skill sets.”
Information from The Associated Press contributed to this report.