Xavi: Dembele departure a huge disappointment
Xavi Hernandez has admitted that Ousmane Dembele's departure to PSG was a major "personal disappointment" because he has given him a key role in the team since he arrived as coach and then the Frenchman turned his back on him at the last minute.
The Barça coach did not want to make an assessment of the Frenchman's six seasons at the club.
"I can give you my assessment since I've been here. We were betting on him and it has been a big disappointment. We wanted him very much here and we have a great project," he said.
Xavi said that Dembele "is a good guy" and that he had been treated with "special affection", giving him weight within the group, but that he has decided to look for another way out.
"It was his decision and we accepted it," added the coach.
The transfer of the French striker was made official today.
Of the €50.4m paid by the Parisians, €35.4m will go into Barca's coffers and the remaining €15m will go to Dembele, who will miss PSG's league opener against Lorient.
