Paris Saint-Germain’s hopes of reaching the Champions League final could depend heavily on Ousmane Dembele rediscovering his lethal scoring touch in time for their showdown against Arsenal.
Dembele had an incredible run between mid-December and mid-March, scoring 25 goals in 20 matches across all competitions. Under Luis Enrique’s guidance, the Frenchman was repositioned from a winger to a central striker, a move that seemed to unlock his full potential. His red-hot form included a crucial goal at Anfield that helped PSG edge past Liverpool on penalties in the last 16.
However, following a spell with the French national team, Dembele has struggled to maintain his sharpness. Since returning from international duty, the 27-year-old has scored just twice in seven appearances for his club. Both goals came against second-division side Dunkerque in the French Cup semi-finals.
In the Champions League quarter-finals against Aston Villa, Dembele failed to score, and PSG had to dig deep to hold onto their advantage. Most recently, in a 3-1 Ligue 1 defeat to Nice, Dembele registered seven shots but couldn’t find the net, leaving his league-leading tally at 21 goals.
This dip in form has coincided with PSG’s own downturn in results. Once regarded as arguably the best team in Europe during the early spring, they have managed just one win in their last four matches.
Despite the concerns, Luis Enrique has insisted he is not worried about Dembele’s recent struggles. When asked about the player’s apparent frustration after being substituted during a 1-1 draw at Nantes, the coach brushed off the concerns. “Everyone deals with their emotions how they want and how they can. I just want to lead the players towards our objective,” he said.
Dembele still managed to deliver a fine assist for Fabian Ruiz’s goal against Nice and was involved in key moments during both legs of the quarter-final clash with Aston Villa. As PSG prepare to face Arsenal again, there’s a sense that things have come full circle for Dembele and the team.
Back in October, Dembele was surprisingly dropped for PSG’s 2-0 loss at Arsenal, reportedly due to Luis Enrique’s dissatisfaction with his attitude during a prior league match. Reflecting on that decision, Enrique called it his best of the season, noting it played a key role in Dembele’s subsequent transformation.
Though Dembele’s resurgence didn’t happen overnight he was sent off in PSG’s 1-0 loss to Bayern Munich in November it was after returning from suspension that he truly hit his stride, becoming one of Europe’s most dangerous forwards.
While the pressure will be on Dembele to rediscover his scoring touch, PSG’s attacking options are not limited to him. Bradley Barcola and Desire Doue have also been in fine form, while Khvicha Kvaratskhelia demonstrated his quality with a stunning goal against Aston Villa.
Still, a strong performance against Arsenal could be vital not only for PSG’s ambitions but for Dembele’s own aspirations. Having previously fallen short with Barcelona in the 2019 semi-finals against Liverpool, leading PSG to the final this year could put him firmly in the conversation for the Ballon d’Or.
