Ousmane Dembele Dropped By Luis Enrique For ‘Lack Of Respect’ Ahead Of PSG’s Champions League Clash With Arsenal

PSG manager Luis Enrique has caused a stir by dropping winger Ousmane Dembele from the club’s Champions League squad for their match against Arsenal.

The decision comes amid reports of a disagreement between the player and the manager, with latter citing a ‘lack of respect’ as a reason for the winger’s exclusion.

Dembele, who joined PSG from Barcelona last summer, has been a regular starter for the Ligue 1 champions this season, scoring four goals and assisting three in six league games.

Enrique Drops Dembele For ‘Lack of Respect’

In a press conference ahead of the Arsenal match, Enrique explained his decision to leave Dembele out of the squad. “If someone doesn’t comply or respect the expectations of the team, it means they are not prepared to play,” he said.

“The match is very important, and I want all my players to be ready, so as a consequence I have left him out. I want the best for my team, and that is my job.”

He continued, “These circumstances are difficult, and you have to take difficult decisions. It doesn’t mean this is irreversible, but I took the best decision for the team, and that is why I signed here – to create a team that has a strong identity and has a lot of character.

Enrique Insists There Are No Problems Between Him And Dembele

“I was also hired to win titles,” Enrique added. “I cannot guarantee that. But I can guarantee the rest, which is playing with a strong identity.

“The day I cannot do this, I will go home. I have the support of the club’s president and the sporting director. I am here to create a team and in the future that might include Ousmane Dembele, just to be clear.”

Enrique was keen to make it clear that there hadn’t been a clash between him and Dembele behind the scenes, as some reports stated.

“There are no problems between us,” he insisted. “That is completely false. This is simply about the responsibilities of the player.”

It remains to be seen whether Dembele will be able to regain Enrique’s trust and return to the PSG squad for their upcoming domestic match against Nice. If he is unable to do so, his future at the club could be in doubt.