Dembele struck in stoppage time to seal PSG's victory and recreated Jota's iconic celebration, which he famously did after scoring a 94th-minute winner in a memorable 4-3 victory over Tottenham Hotspur for the Reds in 2023.
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JOTA TRIBUTES FLOOD IN
Liverpool and Portugal forward Jota tragically died on Thursday after a car crash in Cernadilla, Spain. He passed alongside brother Andre Silva, and tributes have been flooding in from across the footballing world and beyond. Aged just 28, Jota was in his prime and viewed by many as one of the nicest people in football. Silva was even younger at 25 and both leave behind a grieving family but a legacy which will live on.
Dembele said a few words on Friday about the tragedy: "As you saw yesterday, this has been a difficult moment for the world of football. For everyone, even those outside of football. We also support our [Portuguese teammates], because they knew the player very well. Our sincere condolences go out to the whole family. We hope things will get better."
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PSG CONTINUE AT CLUB WORLD CUP
PSG will face either Real Madrid or Borussia Dortmund in the Club World Cup semi-finals on July 9, with only one more step to go before the final four days later. From a personal standpoint, Dembele will know that a decisive impact in winning the trophy could further aid his case for the 2025 Ballon d'Or, for which he is touted as a frontrunner.