Valverde explains why he likes Dembele off the bench so much for Barça
The coach says not many people can change a game like the Frenchman
Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde assessed Ousmane Dembele's role after the French forward's impact off the bench against Atletico Madrid.
Bad habits off the pitch have left him behind at times and Valverde explained the role that he likes for him: coming on from the bench in the second half.
Valverde didn't reveal his side for the game against PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday and didn't rule out Dembele playing from the off, but highlighted the importance of having players like him on the bench.
"We will see the lineup," he said. "Dembele's a player who's been playing regularly, be that from the start or coming on as a substitute, he has that quality.
"If he starts, he can unbalance teams. And when he comes off the bench, he can always change a game. It's something I value a lot. In football, it's not really valued but it's important to have players that can change the dynamic of a game and not everyone has that quality."
Valverde added that "we hope the goal he scored against Atletico helps. It was important for the player, important for everyone. It was really important because it meant we did not lose a game we would have lost. Goals always gives players confidence."
