On the eve of Paris Saint-Germain’s trip to Lorient, Lorient head coach Olivier Pantaloni spoke at a press conference about the form of Ousmane Dembélé (28), the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner. Admirative, the French coach praised Dembélé’s blossoming under Luis Enrique while acknowledging the huge threat he represents.
Pantaloni: “If Ousmane Dembélé is on the bench (…) that gives us a small extra chance”
What do you think about Ousmane Dembélé’s trajectory, as he arrives in Lorient as the reigning Ballon d’Or? Do you hope to see him on the pitch Wednesday night?
“It would be good news for the fans (smiles)! But as a coach, it’s obvious that if Ousmane Dembélé is on the bench or even out of the squad, we can say that gives us a small extra chance.
He’s an exceptional player who has had a gradual career, though sometimes interrupted — a bit of inconsistency at times. I think at PSG, he feels completely in his element now. In my opinion, working with Luis Enrique has done him a great deal of good. The coach has given him a huge amount of confidence, and Ousmane Dembélé is repaying that on the pitch.”
— comments relayed by Ouest-France.
The Corsican coach didn’t downplay Dembélé’s impact — he’s been the true engine of PSG’s attack for several months. Long hampered by injuries and inconsistency, the former Barcelona winger finally seems to have found stability in Paris, where Luis Enrique has entrusted him with both confidence and creative freedom.
That sense of calm shows on the pitch: Dembélé continues to deliver world-class performances, capable of dribbling past defenders, creating chances, and single-handedly changing the course of a game.
Pantaloni, with clear-eyed respect, knows that Dembélé’s presence at Le Moustoir could completely alter the match. Behind his lighthearted remark — “that gives us a small extra chance” — lies the acknowledgment that PSG with Dembélé is not only dazzling, but also ruthlessly effective.
