BarcelonaAdama Traoré and Ousmane Dembélé are two sides of the same coin. They both have unquestionable talents, but their use is quite different, if not opposite. In two games, L’Hospitalet embodies the virtues that everyone demands of the Norman. Unbalanced on the right side, and his watering and centering are the qualities that Barça has been asking of Dembélé since he arrived at the Camp Nou in 2017. With Adama in the squad at least until the end of the season, the situation of dust with French it seems a little easier to manage once a spare part of clear guarantees has been found. His immediate response to the team’s needs postulates Catalan as one of the key pieces of the project and further prolongs the shadow of doubt and skepticism about Dembélé. The last big example was given in Sunday’s derby.
La Fletxa de l’Hospitalet was the best in Cornellà-El Prat. Against Espanyol, a team that told him as a child that he was not good enough to be part of his squad, Adama once again starred in an exhibition in his second match wearing the Barça shirt. The right winger completed the 90 minutes without hiding. He faced, dribbled and centered, delighting the Egarenc coach, who was watching from the technical area. His imbalance and his confidence and skill in one-on-one were decisive in making the right lane a direct route to Diego López’s goal. Out of their boots came 10 of the 25 centers with which the Catalans tried to harass the white-and-blue area throughout the match. In addition, Traoré was the Barça footballer who won the most duels (11) and the most successful waterings (5), proving everything that Dembélé has always wanted to be and that, in the five years he has been as a coach, has succeeded with eyedropper.
Unstoppable watering
Adama is one of Barça’s main offensive arguments right now. Since landing at the Camp Nou on loan from Wolverhampton, the Catalan has fully met Xavi’s expectations and has met the needs that have been generated by Dembélé’s poor performance. The Frenchman, amid injuries, confinements and negotiating tensions, finds no place. Not this year either. As a sign, his lack of continuity in the League, where he has lost 17 of the 24 games. He has played 416 minutes in the state competition, in which he has given two assists. The same ones signed by Adama, who only added 151 minutes. The latter was, in fact, straight to Luuk de Jong’s head to equalize the derby.
Adama and Dembélé matched the last 18 minutes against Espanyol. The comparisons may be odious, but in this case, they highlight the contribution of each player and his influence on the game. Neither with the change of system in the last minutes, which left the image of the match with a note written in Piqué and Busquets, nor with the entry of the Mosquito on the grass, Adama ceased to be essential. The former Wolves player continued to hurt on the right side, while Dembélé regained sensations without too much tactical rigor, open on the left, after three games without competing. It is clear that the apology he has so longed for has been granted by the bench. Xavi doesn’t want to waste it. And the board’s anger, reluctant for the Frenchman to put on the Barça shirt again after the series of renewal and immobility in the winter market, is beginning to wane. Dembélé has returned to the team, currently out of the Camp Nou. It remains to be seen how the fan will receive it. Thursday against Naples, the possible answer to the riddle.
