Luis Enrique-Dembélé: The affair is growing, “I will act if the need arises”

These are not serene days in Paris. PSG, led by Luis Enrique, is going through a difficult period, and the situation with certain players is becoming worrying. Several stars of the team attend matches from the stands or on the sidelines. Nevertheless, one name predominates in this turmoil: Ousmane Dembélé.

Rumors of tense relationship between player and coach has been circulating, although things seem to have calmed down after Dembélé’s start and goal against Olympique Lyon. Luis Enrique spoke again about the winger: “I see Dembélé as usual. I have known him very well for several years and I have always defended him as a player. He’s a very nice person, and that’s all. From there, I want Ousmane to show the best version of himself, just like the other players. When I make a decision regarding a player, if I think an action is necessary for the player and the team, I take action.”

When a player really doesn’t want to see me, I try to respect their space and accept their position.

Luis Enrique

The Asturian coach faces questions regarding his choices. Even though the team is first in the French League, doubts persist about its way of managing the locker room, a subject also raised by the former Spanish coach: “I like to be close to the players, to maintain constant contact, but I can’t do that with everyone. When a player doesn’t want to see me, I try to respect their space and position, but I like to communicate with my players and give them the freedom to tell me what is appropriate. I know what I have to do. My decisions depend on my actions. I could be wrong, but that’s how I operate, relying on my ideas and not those of others.”

He still designates his ‘targets’

Besides Dembélé, only a few other players have been in the spotlight recently: Kimpembe, Skriniar and Kolo Muani. The first suffered a serious injury, which explains his absence from the summons, according to comments made at a press conference by Luis Enrique. For the other two, the situation is much more delicate, because they were pillars of the team, and their role ultimately turns out to be very different from what was planned. The coach had no qualms about pointing out the reason for their exclusion: “We have a very difficult match against Monaco. One of the direct competitors of the championship, therefore, as always, I try to select the 20 players that I consider the best prepared.”

However, he opened the door to hope by specifying that it was still possible to reverse the trend: “I could explain my choices, but I don’t. My decisions speak for themselves. Situations can be rectified. A player, even if he makes a mistake, can always come back. Absolutely all of them. I prefer not to explain my choices. It’s something I’ve never done. I favor criticism.”