Ousmane Dembélé, Paris Saint-Germain’s 28-year-old striker, gave an interview to PSG TV. The capital club’s striker talked about PSG’s fantastic season and his personal performances.
Dembélé “I wanted to have a great season”.
When you signed for PSG did you imagine moments like this?
“Yes, this is what I wanted. I signed for PSG to experience moments like this. This year has been exceptional. Personally and collectively too. When you’ve had a taste, you want even more.”
What’s your personal assessment of your season?
“It’s a good record, it’s my highest in the Champions League, especially as I was voted best player in the Champions League. It’s an exceptional thing. The greatest players play in this competition and you’re told that you’re the best of the season.
I wanted to have a great season, score more goals and be decisive. After that, I was positioned as a number 9, and that helped me a lot. The mentality has changed a lot since the start of the season.”
Dembélé “The Inter keeper was under pressure all game.”
How do you work on this pressing, this ability to defend?
“It’s all about positioning and intensity of running. Don’t give the keeper time to get back on his feet. I do everything so as not to give him a second to think. I enjoy doing it, pressing. Every time he’s about to clear, I put my foot down and yell at him. The Inter goalkeeper I put pressure on all game.”
Luis Enrique has given you a lot of responsibility on the pitch this season, how has he made you a leader?
“When I signed for PSG, he put his trust in me. He gives me a lot of advice. He also gives me a lot of freedom. The coach told me to lead by example, with my defensive and attacking efforts. And as far as the life of the group is concerned, I remain the same.”
Dembélé “victories create even more bonds”
Are you like brothers with your teammates?
“Yes, it’s like a family. As I said, we spend more time with each other than with our families. There are bonds that are created and we’ve all been working together for two years now. The results of this second season have been exceptional.
We try to work hard for each other and give each other advice. And of course, victories create even stronger bonds. Coach told us, we’re a team and we have to do everything together, attack and defend.”
Dembélé “Without a twelfth man there are games like Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal that would have been really hard to win.”
When you won the league, you hugged each of your teammates, why?
“It was a difficult season, there was still the French Cup final and the Champions League to come. It was a long season with a lot of criticism, especially at the start of the season. We managed to turn all that around. I wanted to hug everyone. It was a good moment. And even though it was the festivities, there was still the most important objective in those two weeks, the Champions League final.”
Did this season’s scenarios, and in particular the match against Manchester City, create even more of a bond with the fans?
“From start to finish they supported us, in the Champions League we weren’t good but they were always there to encourage us. They never gave up on us, from start to finish. It’s also thanks to them that we’re having a season like this. Without the twelfth man there are games like Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal that would have been really hard to win.”
What does the Club World Cup mean to you?
“There have been some very good matches and a lot of surprises too. We paid the price against Botafogo. Brazilian clubs, Argentine clubs, etc., are really not easy to play against.”
