Luis Enrique hoped to see a team full of enthusiasm, generosity and offensive drive. Tuesday at a press conference, the Parisian coach quickly relieved any possible pressure that could surround a Champions League quarter-final against Barça. But the actions had difficulty following his words as the first 45 minutes of his offensive line were poor, as if none of them managed to find themselves, to win duels. As if the game plan had been followed a little too closely.
Within this line of attack, we recognized neither Kylian Mbappé nor Ousmane Dembélé. Habitual detonator, backbreaker in chief, the ex-Blaugrana presented an apathetic face leaving his crazy rides and his spontaneity in the locker room. At the break, the results were poor, 10 duels played for 3 won and 14 balls lost without ever making any difference against a solid Cancelo. He was of course not the only one to display this amorphous face.
Replaced on axis after rest
Face closed and concentrated upon returning from the locker room, the French international seemed totally aware of missing out on his match against his former club which he left last summer. Repositioned in the center after the break, the change was brutal. An exchange with Kylian Mbappé, a ball recovered in the area, Dembélé received the ball, followed up with a hook and a powerful strike which broke Ter Stegen’s net (1-1, 48th).
As if liberated, he celebrated his second achievement of the season in the PSG jersey, followed by his partners without hiding his rage. This efficiency was also reminiscent of his warm-up during which he sent a few wrapped strikes to the left of Arnau Tenas. This sequence full of spontaneity, “Ous” also worked on it individually at the start of the season by realizing that he scored more often when he did not multiply the touches of the ball. And it is in this register that he scored against Monaco (5-2, November 24).
In addition to his goal, it is his positioning which helped Paris in sequence. In the heart of the game like against Real Sociedad or against Marseille, his role was different this time. Dembélé came to calm things down to allow his partners to win the battle for possession, provide more control and also be closer to the surface. 15 minutes from the end of normal time, he found himself once again on the left in the zone, alone against Ter Stegen, but this time his fine shot found the base of the post. Certainly one of the turning points of this Champions League quarter-final first leg since two minutes later, Christiansen gave Barça the advantage (3-2, 77th). When they return next Tuesday, to hope for qualification, Dembélé and his partners will have to wake up from the first act.
