Dembele Surprised by Bench Role Against Monaco But No Rift With Enrique, Reports Say
The decision to bench him therefore caused a stir, given his status as the team’s star attacker and the timing of the call.
PSG star Ousmane Dembele. Photo: Courtesy.
By Robert Mutasi
Ousmane Dembele was reportedly left surprised by Luis Enrique’s decision to name him on the bench for Paris Saint-Germain’s Ligue 1 clash with Monaco, but the relationship between the player and manager remains strong ahead of a crucial Champions League week.
Dembele, the current Ballon d’Or holder, was a surprise omission from the starting XI for Friday’s league fixture against Monaco. Manager Luis Enrique raised eyebrows among supporters and pundits when he named the French forward among the substitutes, opting for a different attacking combination from the start.
The 27-year-old eventually entered the game in the 68th minute but was unable to inspire PSG to victory as the Parisians were held by Monaco.
According to French outlet L’Equipe, Dembele had a very strong internal reaction to being dropped. The report claims the France international was fully expecting to start after being given time away from the club’s training campus to rest. He had been substituted early in the recent win over Rennes and was completely rested for the match against Lille, leading him to believe he would be restored to the lineup against Monaco.
The decision to bench him therefore caused a stir, given his status as the team’s star attacker and the timing of the call.
Managing minutes after demanding start
Enrique, however, was quick to downplay any suggestion of a controversy or punishment when he addressed the media after the game. The Spanish coach framed the decision as part of a careful plan to manage Dembele’s workload after a demanding start to the campaign.
The forward had featured in both the UEFA Super Cup and the Trophee des Champions, and Enrique said those efforts required a period of recovery.
“With each player, the circumstances are different,” Enrique explained. “Ousmane had made an effort to play the two Super Cups [the UEFA Super Cup and Trophee des Champions]. After that, he took a little rest.”
Enrique added that he was encouraged by what he saw from Dembele during his cameo off the bench.
“Today, he played 20 or 25 minutes at a very good level,” he said.
No rift as PSG build towards peak
Despite his surprise, there is understood to be no lingering friction between Dembele and Enrique. Sources close to the dressing room indicate the forward is familiar with Enrique’s unique approach to man-management.
The former Barcelona and Spain boss has developed a reputation for challenging the egos of his key players to keep them motivated and to maintain competition within the squad. He has also consistently said that his PSG side is designed to build momentum gradually as the season progresses, rather than peaking in August and September.
As part of that long-term plan, Enrique intends to steadily increase Dembele’s minutes in the coming weeks, with Ligue 1 and the Champions League schedule set to intensify.
“Now, we are starting to increase playing times. We are happy to see him back and it will be like that for the next matches,” Enrique concluded.
Dembele, who played a central role in PSG’s domestic success last season, is expected to be in contention to start when the French champions return to Champions League action next week.
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