- Dembele affirms his commitment to Barca
- Xavi key in turning around his form
- Eager to replicate domestic form in UCL
WHAT HAPPENED? The French international has been in a rich vein of form since signing a new two-year contract with Barcelona that has reportedly seen his salary reduced by 40 per cent. The agreement with the Blaugrana was reached after several rounds of negotiations amid hints from President Joan Laporta that he had already signed a pre-agreement with an unnamed club.
WHAT THEY SAID: "There was none of that (pre-agreement with another club), I only spoke with Barca. And I told my representative only Barca and in the end we are all happy," Dembele has clarified in an interview with Mundo Deportivo.
The winger also spoke highly of Xavi, adding: "Since Xavi arrived, I have lived my best moments at Barça. For me, or for the other wingers, his way of seeing football suits us very well. The relationship with Xavi is very good, he has always told me the truth, he supports me a lot and I am happy."
THE BIGGER PICTURE: The 25-year-old has established himself as an instrumental figure in the Barca dressing room and has started all four matches in La Liga after earning the trust of his manager. He has found the net once in 2022-23 so far, against Real Sociedad, while also registering two assists.
STORY IN THREE PHOTOS:
Getty Images
Getty
Imago Images WHAT NEXT FOR DEMBELE? After putting up impressive performances on the domestic scene, the winger will be eager to bring that momentum to the European stage when Barca play Viktoria Plzen on September 7 in the Champions League.