Ousmane Dembele's brutal PSG tirade 'yielded good results' as Vitinha defends Ballon d'Or winger's public criticism of team-mates

The controversy dates back to mid-February, when a frustrated Dembele took aim at the squad's attitude following a disappointing 3-1 defeat at Rennes. The French international did not hold back in his post-match assessment, demanding that certain individuals stop playing for themselves and start prioritising the club’s badge.

"I think we have to put in more desire, we must above all play for Paris Saint-Germain to be able to win matches," Dembele said at the time. "Because if we play alone on the field, it's not going to go well, we won't win the titles we want."

He added: "Last season, we put the club, the crest, Paris Saint-Germain first, before thinking about ourselves. I think we need to find that again, especially in these matches. We know we are in the second half of the season. It's Paris Saint-Germain that must come first, not the individuals."

Speaking ahead of PSG’s massive Champions League quarter-final clash against Liverpool, Vitinha revealed that the dressing room did not take offence to the public calling-out. Instead, the midfielder praised Dembele for his leadership during a difficult moment, suggesting that the outburst served as a necessary wake-up call for Luis Enrique’s side.

"I remember it well," Vitinha confessed during Tuesday's press conference. "What I can say is that we even talked about it. We are calm. We know our team-mate well. It's good that he was a bit 'hot' at the end of the match. He spoke and it's normal. Even if he was a bit right in what he said, we took it well and we continued. Then, we saw that it yielded good results."

The results certainly support Vitinha’s claim that Dembele’s tirade acted as a catalyst for change. Since the loss at Rennes and the subsequent fallout, PSG have embarked on an impressive run of form. They have won seven of the nine games they have played in the wake of Dembele's tirade, drawing one against Monaco in the Champions League and losing the other to the same opponents in Ligue 1. Despite that slip up, they have moved closer to another domestic title while advancing deep into European competition.

Dembele himself later stood by his words, stating: "I regret nothing. It was a short sentence for the whole team and I think it bore fruit."

PSG now head into their quarter-final first leg against Liverpool with a renewed sense of unity. Luis Enrique will be hoping that the collective spirit Dembele demanded remains intact as they face a formidable Reds side at the Parc des Princes. While former PSG forward Hugo Ekitike returns with Liverpool as a different beast, the focus in the French capital is firmly on maintaining their streak.