Xavi Sends Message to Barcelona’s Dembele After World Cup Nightmare

Getty Ousmane Dembele is out of contract in 2024.

Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez has offered his full backing to forward Ousmane Dembele after the France international was substituted in the first half of the World Cup final.

Dembele endured a nightmare time against Argentina in the showpiece match in Qatar, conceding a penalty and then being hauled off by manager Didier Deschamps with his side already 2-0 down.

Xavi has not lost faith in the Frenchman, however, and has told Barca TV that he remains the “best winger in the world,” as reported by Mundo Deportivo. The coach explained it’s because “he makes a difference, if not in every game, in every two.”

Dembele featured in every World Cup game for France, producing two assists in seven outings. However, his performance against Argentina drew plenty of criticism and Les Bleus improved after his departure and managed to take the game to penalties before losing in the shootout.

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Xavi Highlight Dembele’s Qualities

Xavi has regularly backed Dembele since he arrived as Barcelona manager in November 2021 and the Frenchman may well need his manager’s support after his World Cup final humiliation.

The Barcelona boss has also highlighted the impact Dembele has had on Barca this season after putting his injury problems aside and featuring regularly for the table-topping Catalan giants.

“[He] has five goals and seven assists this season, which confirms that he is a special player,” Xavi added. “There are no players of this type. More in the way we want to play: that they face up the opponent, that they go one against one.”

Xavi did admit that Dembele’s decision making needs to improve but says he understands why the forward can sometimes err when it comes to deciding whether to go for goal or play in a team-mate. He explained, “Ousmane goes at 200 miles per hour and sometimes he doesn’t see the pass option and he has to see it.”

Dembele Set For Contract Talks?

Barcelona could also show their support for Dembele by offering the forward a new contract extension. The attacker signed a short-team deal last season that only runs until 2024 and will want to avoid seeing him enter the last year of his contract.

Diario Sport report that Barca were planning on waiting until the end of the season to begin contract talks but could bring negotiations forward after the World Cup. Barca believe interest in Dembele may have dropped due to his World Cup final experience.

Dembele feels “more supported and respected” in the dressing room under Xavi at Barcelona and is comfortable at the club. He’s also a regular in attack alongside top scorer Robert Lewandowski and Brazil international Raphinha.

Barca will also surely like to renew Dembele as his current release clause stands at just €50 million, a far cry from the €105m that the club invested to bring him to the Camp Nou back in 2017.

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