Ousmane Dembélé, absent against Luxembourg on Wednesday, is expected to reclaim his position on the right side of the attack for the French team against Canada on Sunday in Bordeaux, for the last preparation match before the big departure for Euro 2024, where he will likely start as a regular player.
Sidelined due to a rhinopharyngitis, the PSG player had to withdraw at the very last moment for the match against Luxembourg in Metz (3-0). While his club teammate Randal Kolo Muani took advantage of the opportunity to secure a starting role and score the opening goal, “Dembouz” will logically regain his position within Didier Deschamps’ eleven.
The coach will thus be able to test in real conditions the offensive trio of Thuram-Mbappé-Dembélé, who will presumably have the heavy responsibility of starting the European Championship against Austria on June 17 in Düsseldorf. Unless the captain, absent from training on Saturday and “rested” according to the staff, is not fielded on Sunday. Although the former Barcelona player (27 years old), recruited last summer by Paris for 50 million euros, was once threatened by Kingsley Coman, the muscular injury that has disrupted the Bayern player in recent weeks leaves Dembélé with a clear path, with no real serious competition on the right wing to start the continental tournament.
Even though Kolo Muani seems more comfortable in the blue jersey than with the PSG shirt, with which he had a very difficult first season, the former Frankfurt forward cannot compete with Dembélé, whose unique qualities as a destabilizer make him a rare element on the international scene.
More disciplined
An outstanding dribbler, equally comfortable with both feet and especially endowed with supersonic speed, the winger trained at Rennes has few equivalents in world football. “He is the player who destabilizes the most in the world,” says Luis Enrique, the PSG coach. “He plays to fix, to create superiority. It’s a permanent spectacle. He’s a different, singular player. He always asks for the ball, he’s never afraid to do things, he accepts criticism. It’s a chance to have a player like him.”
Deschamps also remembers the sacrifice of his player during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where he had to work hard defensively on the right, even if it meant restraining his offensive impulses. A precedent that speaks in favor of Dembélé in the eyes of the coach, concerned about the balance of his team.
Often prone to injuries before arriving in Paris, the forward has also sorted out his environment to put an end to his reputation as a dilettante with questionable lifestyle habits. Although he was seen in a video eating pizza during the coach’s team talk after France-Luxembourg, Dembélé has become more disciplined in his preparation and has been almost spared from physical setbacks this season.
The only significant drawback for a player of his caliber: his significant wastage in the final touch. The Parisian manages to make incredible differences but presents meager statistics. In 42 matches played with PSG, across all competitions, Dembélé has only scored 6 times, providing 14 assists. In the French national team, he is stuck at 5 goals in 43 caps.
“Of course, being able to improve his efficiency would further highlight what he does well. That’s where he certainly has room for improvement,” said the coach at the beginning of the season. A statement that remains relevant regarding this unpredictable player, with a very atypical profile and personality.
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