Didier Deschamps on Dembele: The manager of France national team spoke about Ousmane Dembele’s discipline as he was kept out of Barca squad.
Ousmane Dembele’s indiscipline has been a cause of worry for Barcelona this season. The French footballer reportedly showed up late for the game against Inter Milan and was subsequently benched.
Last week, Dembele failed to attend training sessions and didn’t communicate the reasons of his absence, and Valverde eventually dropped him from the squad for the game against Real Betis.
The French footballer joined Barcelona last year, but after an underwhelming first season at the Camp Nou, Dembele is expected to turn things around of Barca this year. However, the Frenchman’s irregularities in discipline could come in his way of progress at the Catalan club.
Dembele’s national team manager, Didier Deschamps, has now commented on the player’s disciplinary issues.
Didier Deschamps on Dembele:
The French manager stated that Ousmane Dembele has had disciplinary issues with the national team as well. Deschamps said that the forward has the annoying habit of making excuses for arriving late to the training.
🎙 🇫🇷 Deschamps (France coach) “Dembélé has a bit of a habit of arriving late. I’m sure he’s not the only one either on his club or national team. He needs to be more attentive to the things that are part of the day to day of a high level player.”
— FC Barcelona Fl 🏆 (@FCBarcelonaFl) November 12, 2018
“I know his excuses when Dembélé arrives late,” Deschamps said. “In his defence he will say: ‘I am not the only one.’ Ousmane has a bit of a habit of being late.”
Deschamps insisted that Dembele needs to change his habits if he wants to be a world class footballer.
“Ousmane has been with us for a while. That’s his usual trick to be late, but in his defence, I’m sure he’ll say: ‘I’m not the only one’.”https://t.co/1easkEfGWI
— AS English (@English_AS) November 12, 2018
“Whether for his club or in the French national team, he should be a little more attentive to the things that are part of the day-to-day life of an elite-level footballer.
Ousmane Dembélé turned up for the Barcelona game two minutes before kick off, as he’s not in the squad.
Players who aren’t in the squad are supposed to turn up 15-45 minutes before kick off.
Could Dembélé be off in January with Barclona getting fed up of him? pic.twitter.com/zSOOrMZDqy
— Footy Accumulators (@FootyAccums) November 11, 2018
“He’s young, so I am not losing hope that he will realize what it means to be a world class footballer. The sooner he stops with his excuses, the better it will be for everyone.
“I know what Dembélé is doing and it has to change.”
🎙 [RMCSport] | Sissoko (Dembélés agent): “Barcelona is very happy with Ousmane, Valverde appreciates him and Abidal is also happy of how Dembélé is performing and training.” pic.twitter.com/TPujrlo7Bu
— BarcaTimes (@BarcaTimes) November 12, 2018
What next?
Ousmane Dembele has been selected for the French national team as the international break commences this week. The French forward will return to Barcelona as they prepare for the heavyweight clash against Atletico Madrid in La Liga next week.