Getty Barcelona forward Ousmane Dembele
Barcelona forward Ousmane Dembele has been hit with a fresh injury blow after picking up a problem playing for France against Hungary at Euro 2020 on Saturday.
The 24-year-old only arrived as a substitute in the 56th minute of the match, replacing Adrien Rabiot, but could not finish the game after picking up a problem. Dembele was withdrawn on 87 minutes and replaced by Thomas Lemar.
🔵🔴🇫🇷 A worrying sight for any player, but particularly him.
🚑Ousmane Dembélé was substituted on for France, but came off seemingly injured again. Ánimo
#LLL
🧡🇪🇸⚽️
Dembele had been bright after initially coming on with France trailing 1-0 to Attila Fiola’s opening goal. The forward hit the post shortly after arriving but ultimately his afternoon ended in disappointment.
It’s not clear yet how long Dembele will be out for but it seems unlikely he will feature in France’s final group game against Portugal on Wednesday, 23 June.
Coach Didier Deschamps offered an update on the forward’s injury after the match, as reported by Metro. He said, “Dembele, it’s hit on the tendon, behind the knee, it will be necessary to check. He continued, he wanted to cross and felt a fairly significant discomfort. I brought him out. We will have to watch it.”
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Dembele’s Barcelona Future in Doubt
News of another Dembele injury will be of concern to Barcelona during a summer where the Frenchman’s future at the Camp Nou is uncertain. Dembele has struggled with injury throughout his time at the club but managed to stay fit and become a regular fixture in the team in 2020-21.
However, it’s not guaranteed he will stay at the club. Dembele’s contract expires in 2022 and the Catalans will either renew his contract or look to sell if he does not agree an extension to avoid losing him for free next summer.
The club has opened negotiations with Dembele but “no progress” has been made, according to Marca. The forward is said to be in “no rush” to decide his future as he is currently focused on France and the Euro 2020 campaign.
Griezmann Rescues France Again
France needed Dembele’s Barcelona teammate Antoine Griezmann to come to the rescue against Hungary. The striker equalized for Les Bleus to salvage a point and avoid a shock result for the world champions against Hungary.
It was a landmark outing for Griezmann who played his 50th consecutive game for France, according to Opta. The forward’s goal also saw him reach another impressive landmark.
Griezmann often appears a different player in a France shirt to a Barcelona jersey and came in for huge praise from manager Didier Deschamps before the match. The France boss told reporters Griezmann is one of the world’s best, as reported by Marca.
“He is one of the best in Europe and in the world. Sometimes he works a lot in defence, which he brings with him from club football and I’m not going to tell him not to do it,” he said. “It doesn’t prevent him from maintaining his efficiency and his influence in attacking moves, that’s been recognised.”
Griezmann proved vital once again for France who remain one of the favorites to win Euro 2020. Saturday’s draw means Les Bleus look set to progress to the knockout stages but Deschamps will need his team to improve from this performance if they are to go all the way in this competition.
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Barcelona’s Ousmane Dembele Hit By Fresh Injury Setback