Sanctioned by Luis Enrique and deprived of Arsenal/PSG, Ousmane Dembélé apologized to his coach and will return to the group this Thursday, three days from Nice/PSG. The exact reasons for his sanction, in particular his supposed lateness for training, however, remain quite unclear.
Ousmane Dembélé was deprived by Luis Enrique of the Arsenal/PSG clash. The Spanish coach accepted his choice on Monday at a press conference, explaining that he had not argued with his player, but that the latter had not respected the team’s obligations. The Parisian coach did not want to say precisely what had happened and several versions have since circulated in the press.
It was L’Equipe, on Monday, which began to offer the beginnings of an explanation by affirming that there had been a discussion “muscular” between the two men on the sidelines of PSG/Rennes and the player’s bad choices (notably a missed shot while Achraf Hakimi was alone behind). According to L’Equipe, Dembélé would have “answered” to his trainer, who would have taken it badly.
A delay in training confirmed, but not decisive?
On Wednesday, Foot Mercato confirmed a heated discussion between Luis Enrique and Dembélé after PSG/Rennes, but revealed the real reason for the player’s sidelining was a late arrival to training in the hours following the match against Rennes (FM did not specify whether it was Saturday or Sunday). According to the online media, the world champion has arrived “very late for training and without justification”.
In today’s edition, L’Equipe confirms that Dembélé arrived late for training and talks about training on Sunday morning (Luis Enrique declared on Monday that he had made his decision the day before, i.e. Sunday). RMC Sport also confirmed the delay in training, but understands that it is mainly the exchange “lively and direct but without insult” between the two men, at half-time of PSG/Rennes, which caused the player to be sanctioned, even if his delay would have finally convinced Luis Enrique that it was preferable not to call him up for Arsenal. Like L’Equipe, RMC Sport also confirms that the Spaniard’s decision surprised the locker room.
PSG justified Dembélé’s sanction for “technical and sporting” reasons
For its part, Le Parisien is a little more measured regarding Dembélé’s delay in training. If the regional daily understands that the winger arrived a few moments after his partners last Saturday the day after PSG/Rennes, it does not confirm that the player was late for training and does not think that his sanction is linked to that. .
In any case, the management of PSG did not mention this story of late training when justifying his sanction to his player, instead putting forward reasons “technical and sporting”. According to the regional daily, Luis Enrique made a remark to Dembélé at half-time of PSG/Rennes in front of his teammates, and then explained himself to him after the match. A discussion described as intense, but without argument. After PSG/Girona, Luis Enrique would have already lectured his player in front of the rest of the group, accusing him of his selfishness. A term that the player would not have accepted.
According to all French media, the Dembélé affair is in any case over, the player having accepted his sanction and apologized to Luis Enrique according to Le Parisien in particular. L’Equipe explains for its part that the two men have spoken and want to turn the page. The player’s entourage and the club also spoke on Sunday to find a solution and resolve this episode according to the sports daily. Resting on Wednesday, the PSG players return to training this Thursday at 11 a.m. to prepare for Nice/PSG on Sunday evening. Ousmane Dembélé will be there and, we hope for him, on time.
