Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembélé played 262 minutes across four matches for France during the international break, emerging as the national team’s second-most used player behind Chelsea defender Maxence Lacroix.
Luis Enrique Rejects Criticism of National Team Performances
Observers in French media questioned Dembélé’s impact after manager Zinédine Zidane deployed him through the center against Turkey and Italy, and on the right wing against Belgium. Reviewing those fixtures, Eurosport noted that critics pointed to a lack of decisive end product during a stretch where France recorded a 1-0 win over Turkey, a 1-1 draw with Italy, and a 4-1 victory against Belgium.
Responding to those assessments during a Friday press conference covered by ParisFans, Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique defended his forward. “I must say I am not in agreement. For me, he has been brilliant as usual. He is a different player. You can comfortably pay your ticket to go and see Ousmane in a stadium. He is always there to show himself, to strike. He was very good,” Luis Enrique said.
Managed Rest Period Before Champions League Travel
In coordination with the technical staff and sporting direction, the club opted to excuse both players from the upcoming Ligue 1 encounter against Le Mans at the Parc des Princes.
Goal.com reported that Dembélé will resume training on Saturday, October 10, while Nuno Mendes returns on Sunday, October 11. The decision marks the second time this season that Luis Enrique has provided the French international with scheduled recovery time following an intensive calendar that included the previous World Cup cycle.
Luis Enrique rotates squad for Le Mans fixture
Paris Saint-Germain enters Saturday’s fixture against Le Mans sitting sixth in the Ligue 1 table, while their opponents occupy ninth place. Kickoff at the Parc des Princes is scheduled for 20h45 local time (18h45 UTC), with live coverage provided by Ligue1+.
“After the length of this break, we think on an individual basis, we decided all together that Nuno and Ousmane must rest for the matches we are going to have,” Luis Enrique stated, as reported by Foot Mercato. “It is normal, you must get used to it because it will be something typical this season.”
Why Ousmane Dembélé misses match against Le Mans?
Why is Ousmane Dembélé missing the match against Le Mans?
Paris Saint-Germain granted Ousmane Dembélé and Nuno Mendes a scheduled rest period following a heavy workload during the international break, where Dembélé played 262 minutes for France.
When will Ousmane Dembélé return to training?
The club announced that Dembélé is scheduled to resume training on Saturday, October 10, ahead of upcoming fixtures.
How did Luis Enrique evaluate Dembélé’s performances with France?
Luis Enrique publicly rejected criticism from French media regarding Dembélé’s national team displays, describing the forward’s performances as brilliant and praising his work rate and ability to create space.
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