Ousmane Demb茅l茅 is feeling ambitious heading into the crucial part of the season and fully intends to star for Paris Saint-Germain and France.
Not only does the speedy forward finally feel fit after nagging injuries but he wants to steal the limelight again. Like he did last season when he helped PSG win the for the first time and he won the .
鈥淚 am even more determined to win another trophy with PSG,鈥� he said on Monday, a day ahead of the Champions League return leg against Chelsea. 鈥淚t鈥檚 also a World Cup year and I鈥檓 extremely motivated. I know I鈥檝e had some but I need to show myself.鈥�
Calf and hamstring have forced Demb茅l茅 to miss 14 matches and to in other games.
But his in the 5-2 first-leg win last Wednesday 鈥� when he ran from the halfway line 鈥� was more like the Demb茅l茅 of and his career-best mark of 35 goals.
鈥淚 like to get on the ball a lot. I like to peel off and make a lot of runs, and you need to be at 100% to play in this role. I want to score or assist in every game and that hasn鈥檛 changed.鈥�
Demb茅l茅 is entering his peak years at 28 and is not shy about using his status to influence the team.
Following a at Rennes last month, he issued a rebuke to his teammates in a post-match interview.
鈥淚 think we need to show more desire,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ecause if we play as individuals on the pitch it won鈥檛 work, we won鈥檛 win the trophies we want.鈥�
Without giving names, he suggested some players were putting themselves first.
鈥淧aris Saint-Germain should come first, not individual players,” he said.
Demb茅l茅鈥檚 comments led coach Luis Enrique to say the team should keep a united front. But an unrepentant Demb茅l茅 stood by his comments on Monday.
鈥淚 don’t regret it, that’s the only way PSG can win. It was a message for the whole team and I think it bore fruit,” Demb茅l茅 said. 鈥淚n some games we could have passed to the player in a better position. But the issue was quickly resolved, there were no arguments or anything in the dressing room.鈥�
Since for a Champions League game at Arsenal early last season on disciplinary grounds, Luis Enrique has become Demb茅l茅’s biggest fan.
鈥淗e is incredible to have as a player. He is able to change his way of playing,鈥� Luis Enrique said. 鈥淎s a fan it鈥檚 always pleasing to watch him when he鈥檚 on the ball.鈥�
France fans will hope he does better at the World Cup: Demb茅l茅 went off in the first half during the defeat to Argentina in the . ___
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