The sincere and motivating chat Xavi had with Ousmane Dembele
The French winger was bright against Benfica and could be primed to finally come good
Xavi had dedicated affectionate words to Ousmane Dembele on several occasions. Since coming back to Camp Nou, one of the obsessions of the coach has been to convert the French winger into a key player for the team. Injuries have not allowed him to reach his potential, which according to Xavi, has no ceiling. “He can be the best in the world in his position,” said Xavi in a press conference.
He spoke to the forward individually in a sincere and open dialogue, man to man. Xavi asked him about his future plans and how he found himself after the injury. The coach bore the weight of the conversation, telling Dembele everything he expected for him, not just this season but beyond, in Blaugrana.
Xavi knows it’s hard for Barcelona to renew Dembele’s deal but wants him to stay. He tried to convince Dembele that at 24, one of the best things he can do is stay at Barcelona, that there’s no better place for him. Here he’ll find everything he needs and Xavi will do what he can to make him into one of the world’s best.
It’s almost been a personal challenge for Xavi to make sure Dembele can reach the level Barcelona hoped when he came from Borussia Dortmund. He knows adapting to this club is not easy for a young player and requires time. He encouraged him to keep working the way he has been in his personal life to avoid injuries.
He was delighted with the player’s response, who showed his disposition to keep working to succeed at Camp Nou. He indicated he wanted to stay, although it’s not entirely up to him.
It was a constructive chat that, as we saw against Benfica, started to bear fruit. Dembele played just 28 minutes but showed enough to return Xavi’s confidence in him. He wants the player to take risks. The only thing he won’t forgive is not giving his talent the best chance to shine.
