Ousmane Dembélé: "I want to show Barça what I'm capable of"
"Now I have to fight for my place, because we have a great team and there is more competition than in past seasons."
Ousmane Dembele missed the first match away in Germany due to injury but he's set to feature against his former side, Borussia Dortmund, at the Camp Nou on Wednesday. In an interview with Barça TV, he gave his thoughts on current events at the club ahead of the massive Champions League contest.
"We have important matches in the coming weeks, first against Dortmund and then against Atlético. We have to be prepared for these big games," admitted the French winger. "Against Dortmund, we have to win to secure qualification as quickly as possible. It's the most important game in this part of the season. With the support of our fans, we hope to get the three points to be able to go to Inter with peace of mind."
Dembele believes the Camp Nou will play a crucial role in the fixture. "It's very difficult to win at the Camp Nou because Barça have top-level players, great supporters and it's a club with a lot of history. We have the support of our people and we always try to give everything to win our games at home."
Dembélé on facing his former side
"Dortmund will be a special match for me. I still have friends amongst my ex-team-mates. We will be rivals, but nothing changes. I left three years ago and I haven't seen them since then. Emotionally, it will be a bit difficult, but I will be happy to see them and to play against them. "They're a team that attacks and doesn't tend to play defensively. They always play as a team and give everything, wanting to win every game, because they're a great side. They'll come with a lot of intensity, but Camp Nou awaits them."
The winger also spoke about his own irregular start to the season, mainly due to picking up injuries at unfortunate times. "During the preseason I was very well. Afterwards I got injured and I was out for a month. When I returned, I had some physical problems. Now I have to fight for my place because we have a great team and there is more competition than in past seasons. There are many, very good forwards, with a lot of quality, and we're motivated to be even better."
"Since my arrival at Barça three years ago I have improved in my preparation for games. I go to the gym and warm up properly. Barça are a great team, with great players and that makes you want to win to give everything."
FAMILIAR FACES ARE HELPING HIM IMPROVE
"I want to show what I can do on the pitch. The whole team helps me, but I especially receive support from Clément (Lenglet) and Samuel (Umtiti)," confessed Dembele. "With Griezmann we have been friends for a long time and he gives me many tips. He's a very good person and a good friend. He is doing very well with the rest of the group and didn't need much time to adapt."
And there was also time to squeeze in a few words of praise for Lionel Messi. "Messi is a great player. I watched him on television when I was younger but playing with him and seeing him in real life is even better. It's an honour for him to tell me that I have talent, but I have to prove it on the pitch."
