“With a higher quality of finishing, Ousmane Dembélé could perhaps win the Ballon d’Or”. This is what Julien Stéphan, coach of Stade Rennais, said last season. It must be said that the intrinsic qualities of the French international (51 caps, 6 goals) are no longer to be proven but that his lack of offensive realism often fuels debates about him. Saturday evening, on the occasion of the 4th day of Ligue 1, the former FC Barcelona player confirmed however that he seemed determined to adjust the sights. Aligned on the right side of the Parisian attack, the number 10 of the Red and Blue thus found himself in all the good shots, finally becoming the great architect of the success obtained by his team (3-1).
5 shots on target from 7 attempts, a double and an XXL impact!
Taking advantage of a game leaning largely to the right and still as close as ever with Achraf Hakimi, the Tricolore continued to use his technique to destabilize the Brest defense. Massadio Haïdara first and foremost. Inspired, lively and impregnable on the first supports, Dembélé shone above all by his ability to finish the Parisian attacks. Long frustrated by a decisive Marco Bizot (24th, 35th, 38th), the Parisian did not give up. Skillful in the last meters (71% of shots on target), he was logically rewarded just before the break while PSG had to react after Romain Del Castillo opened the score on a penalty. On a perfect cross from Marco Asensio, the native of Vernon scored his second goal of the season (1-1, 42nd). The second with a header after the one scored against Le Havre on the first day.
Far from being satisfied, Dembélé showed great activity after the break. Shifted to the right, he then fired yet another attempt, this time deflected by the last defender of SB29 (61st). But the recital was still far from over. At the start of the action, on the goal of Fabian Ruiz, author of a magnificent strike in the top corner of Brest (2-1, 73rd), Dembélé struck again, on a clearance error by Brendan Chardonnet. After a strike from Randal Kolo Muani, pushed back by Bizot, Dembélé then offered himself his first double of the season (3-1, 74th). Replaced by Ibrahim Mbaye in the final moments (80th) and logically applauded by the Parisian public, the Parisian number 10, elected man of the match by the FM editorial team, was inevitably enjoying the final whistle.
“A Dembélé reference this season? Reference, I don’t know, but I hope to play good matches, to be consistent, and that PSG wins. It was important to win because the others won. We had to be leaders at the end of this day and prepare well for the Champions League. Now, there are eight exciting matches awaiting us.”confided Dembouz. A performance also praised by his coach, Luis Enrique. “We feel that he is happy, more confident than before. But not only him, Fabian too, he can score in the national team and with PSG. We are very happy for each of them. What did I say to Dembélé? “You scored 2 goals? Really?” (laughs). No, I am very happy.”joked the Spaniard into the microphone of DAZN before adding another layer at a press conference.
Time for the trigger?
“I am an admirer of Ousmane Dembélé. As a spectator, if I have to pay for a ticket to the stadium to go and see players like Ousmane, I pay directly”. Praise was also expressed by the main victims of the evening. Passing through the mixed zone, Kenny Lala recognized, in this regard, the very great performance of the former Barcelona player. “Dembélé? He was in the best shape tonight, we saw less of Barcola but it’s true that it’s hard”confided Mathias Pereira Lage while Brendan Chardonnet awarded him the title of“man of the match”. Asked about his teammate’s performance, Kang-In Lee did not hide his admiration either. Author of three goals and three assists with PSG since the start of the season and coming out of a successful international break (involved in both goals against Belgium), Ousmane Dembélé seems, in any case, to find this efficiency so hoped for by the various observers/supporters in recent months.
“Try more at club and national level? People tell me I’m too generous and that I’m always looking to pass. People keep telling me that I have to try my luck, whether it’s (Luis Enrique) at PSG or my teammates. I decided to try my luck. This season, I’m going to try my luck even more and be a little more personal.”had also admitted the person concerned after the victory of the Blues against the Red Devils. And to add: “Luis Enrique keeps telling me this. This season, we do a lot of finishing exercises and he always tells me to target, to take my chances but above all to target. Even if it’s blocked, there’s a teammate who can touch it and score. Every training session, I try to work on that. Especially when dribbling, I dribble one, two, I lack freshness when shooting and my body lifts up a little, that’s why I often don’t target. Alternate between strong and weak moments? Yes, and not dribble all the time, especially on chances on the left, closed at the far post. The coach tells me to work on that and I try to do it.”. A job that seems to be paying off today. To the great delight of the residents of the Parc des Princes and its coach, what’s more, before PSG’s entry into the Champions League on Wednesday against Girona at the Parc des Princes (9 p.m.).
