Ousmane Dembélé will have the opportunity to face his former club when Paris Saint-Germain face FC Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal tie. CBS Sports’ Jonathan Johnson believes the Frenchman will have a point to prove against the Spanish side.
The two clubs will clash on April 10 and 16. It will be the first time that Dembélé returns to Spain to face his former club since leaving last summer. PSG reportedly paid €50.4 million for the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner, and so far, the move has been a success.
Ahead of the first leg on April 10 at the Parc des Princes, Johnson, who spoke with PSG Talk, believes that the Frenchman will be extra motivated heading into this contest.
“I do think that Dembélé has a point to prove to Barça,” Johnson said. “He was always considered expendable despite having been brought in as a key figure in the post-Neymar era.
“So I do think that he’ll be motivated and want to show his best form and show Barça what they’re missing. That said, I don’t think really it’ll be that much different for him than it would have been in any other big game.”
If PSG want to advance to the semifinals, they’ll need Dembélé to play a major role alongside Kylian Mbappé. The 26-year-old has assumed a creator role on this team, and his assist or key pass could be what allow the Parisians to eliminate Barcelona.