At a press conference this Tuesday, did Ousmane Dembélé already know that he would not start against Manchester City? Victim of a flu syndrome, he was forced to rest last week. “I had a little flu,” he confided at a press conference on Tuesday. Well, she wasn’t small that one. For five or six days, I was in a bit of trouble. But since Saturday, things have been better. I feel ready. » Perhaps he was not yet 100%, which would explain his coach’s decision.
Observers nevertheless expected to see him regain his place. And him too… “Yes, I feel good. These last few matches, I have been effective in front of goal (6 goals in my last 5 outings). Tomorrow, I will try to be concentrated, he told journalists. We know that we will have to score heads to win this match. I feel good. I will try to score. » To do this, he will therefore have to wait to come into play.
Invited to comment on this choice at the Canal + microphone, Luis Enrique did not wish to elaborate on the reasons, not confirming the fact that his player would not yet be fully recovered. “I have nothing to say (about Dembélé). I will analyze everything when the match is over. I will not give any clues to the opponent before the match. It’s an attractive match. There is everything to have a great match. It could have been a final or a knockout match. Neither of us are in the place we deserve, but that’s how it is. »
Dembélé felt ready to start
According to our information, Dembélé felt ready to play straight away. It therefore seems that the Asturian decided to do without it for tactical reasons. Bradley Barcola, Désiré Doué and Kang-in Lee will have the mission of leading the Parisian attack. They will need to provide density in the axis while managing the corridors. The South Korean thus maintains the confidence of the coach to the detriment of Gonçalo Ramos who appears to be the other big loser of the starting choices. A sign of the trust that Luis Enrique places in Désiré Doué, he has started him 7 times in the last 8 matches.
-Aligned only twice at kick-off in PSG’s last eight matches, the Portuguese is not the preferred option of Luis Enrique who favors more versatile elements, less foxes of the surfaces, capable of both running in front, by having a participation in the game.
The Parisian coach also decided in favor of Fabian Ruiz in midfield, undoubtedly convinced by his last performance which resulted in a goal against Lens (1-2). Warren Zaire-Emery pays the price and starts on the bench. This has only happened once in C1 this season, so far, during the last match won in Salzburg (0-3).
