“I will perhaps ask for another vacation”: Ousmane Dembélé freewheeling after Manchester City-PSG

A goal, an assist, valuable in the game without the ball: despite a significant technical waste, Ousmane Dembélé generally succeeded in his return to play on Wednesday, during Manchester City-PSG (4-2 victory), in the Champions League. It was undoubtedly important to dot the i's after an average international break and cascading criticism. “I’ve been criticized for ten years, that’s not going to change (laughs),” laughed the Ballon d’Or, particularly relaxed on Wednesday, in front of the Canal+ cameras.

Relaxed and even downright freewheeling in the end. “It was a good match. On Tuesday or Wednesday, I really enjoy playing, especially when I come back from vacation, it’s really a pleasure (laughs),” he had fun again, not afraid of making people think that he… takes less pleasure in playing on the weekend, in Ligue 1. “We’re going to play… Le Havre on Saturday, right? I hope to play,” he said. Dembélé, however, is not very aware of the calendar: it is in Strasbourg that the Rouge et Bleu will be expected next Saturday. We imagine that the former Barcelona player is, however, very aware of the next opponent in C1, Barça precisely, next Tuesday.

Also read PSG's notes at Manchester City: the class of Doué and Vitinha for two-faced Parisians

Skip the ad

Still, Ousmane Dembélé also joked about his rest. Luis Enrique had already put it in the fridge at the start of the season for a week. And he did it again after the international break. “It’s the coach who decides,” he recalled. I went on vacation after the international break. I will perhaps ask for another vacation (smile),” he added.

It is possible that he (Luis Enrique) will release me until March.

Ousmane Dembélé

Laughingly, he even dared this pirouette: “It’s possible that he (Luis Enrique) will release me until March (laughs)”. A priori, this is not the idea. But like many executives, “Dembouz” could at least start on the bench in Alsace, in the middle of these two “Champions” matches in quick succession… “I am a footballer, I like to play all the matches,” he continued, “more seriously. Afterwards, over 60 or 70 matches, I cannot play them all, but I obviously like to start the matches. Starting on the bench, when you're a competitor, when you love football, I'm not going to say that it hurts, but it's good to play and continue. We are quality players, we have to know how to breathe.” Recovery is essential for Luis Enrique, we know that well.

Freewheeling on the subject of vacations or the Paris Saint-Germain calendar in the championship, but not only that. “We don’t care at all that people doubted us,” he insisted, without filter, in reference to the uneven start to the season for a team which is currently only sixth in the Ligue 1 standings. It’s October, it’s only the second Champions League match. We stay focused. We know that the first part of the season, we have to be on target and prepare for the second. We had a good first period. It was more difficult in the second, because we relaxed. It wasn't necessary. But we are going to remember the positive,” he said.

We still relaxed a little in the second half, and as soon as you relax against opponents, players like that, you pay for it in cash in the Champions League.

Ousmane Dembélé

And to continue: “The team has a lot of qualities. It was a good match, against a good City team. We had a lot of space, we knew how to play very well, especially in the first half, and be really efficient in the area, so there was a gap. But we still relaxed a little in the second half, and as soon as you relax against opponents, players like that, you pay for it in cash in the Champions League.” Against FC Barcelona for example, it could cost even more than against Manchester City…