When English soccer followers assume again to Liverpool’s famed comeback from 3-0 all the way down to beat Barcelona in 2019, many will recall Trent Alexander-Arnold’s quickly-taken nook routine to fox the defenders or the final scenes of what the Catalans would name a remontada.
However Barca and France followers bear in mind it not for the second leg however a second with seconds remaining on the Camp Nou per week earlier.
Ousmane Dembele, the fleet-footed winger from between Paris and Rouen, obtained a sq. ball from Lionel Messi and had a simple end to make it 4-0.
Shoot both aspect of Alisson and Barcelona had been into the Champions League closing. At 3-0 up, that they had one foot firmly within the Madrid closing anyway. However 4-0 can be an excessive amount of even for this nice Liverpool aspect to show round on a fever-pitched European evening underneath the Anfield lights.
As an alternative, Dembele fumbled the trouble and the ball rolled into the grateful grasp of Alisson. The remaining, as they are saying, is historical past… and Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool went on to the ultimate on the Wanda Metropolitano to win their sixth European crown.
This was probably the most pivotal second in Liverpool successful that trophy. The bench had invited Alisson to go up for a late Reds nook however the Brazil No 1 wagged his finger and rejected. Regardless of the precise save being a regulation cease, his function ought to by no means be understated.
Ousmane Dembele is within the type of his life previous to PSG’s Champions League tie with Liverpool
Dembele’s first leg miss for Barcelona was a vital second within the semi-finals six years in the past
The Frenchman’s place has been tailored at PSG and he has scored 18 targets up to now in 2025
For Dembele, although, this was his profession in a microcosm. ‘If used correctly, he could possibly be one of the best participant on the planet,’ stated former Barca boss Xavi, whereas his ex-Rennes supervisor Julien Stephan as soon as insisted: ‘If he was a greater finisher, he may have gained a Ballon d’Or by now.’
Six years on from that second, Dembele can lastly say he’s certainly a greater finisher. And, boy, can he end. In 2025 alone, he has 18 targets – greater than anybody in Europe’s high 5 leagues by some stretch. Even scoring machine Mohamed Salah has solely – ‘solely’ stated in jest – hit 10.
As for this season in full, solely 5 males have outscored Dembele, a winger by commerce, within the massive leagues: Robert Lewandowski, Salah, Harry Kane, Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe. It could be flawed to name him a late bloomer however, lastly, at 27, the Frenchman is fulfilling his potential.
The Parisiens love him. As Mail Sport went for a trot alongside the banks of the Seine as much as the Eiffel Tower and again on Tuesday, within the superb spring sunshine, loads of PSG shirts had been noticed: many nonetheless bearing the names of Messi and Neymar… however extra with Dembele.
Outdoors the Parc des Princes, the membership store was doing a roaring commerce. Mbappe is forgotten, now Dembele is the poster boy of this new-look workforce. If he continues like this, Dembele could be on the rostrum on the gorgeous Theatre du Chatele for this 12 months’s Ballon d’Or ceremony.
It has not at all times been this fashion.
‘He has been actually unplayable and unstoppable,’ French soccer skilled Julien Laurens tells Mail Sport. ‘It has been a very attention-grabbing journey for him. If you consider younger Dembele at Rennes after which at Dortmund, he was such a prodigy.
‘It was extraordinary, we had not seen something like this in France for years. So many abilities, dribbling, two ft, no strain. At Rennes, he was like a UFO… one thing from one other planet!’
Dembele was seen as a prodigy at Rennes after which Dortmund earlier than shifting to Barcelona
Joan Laporta stated Dembele can be ‘higher than Mbappe’ after signing him for £135.5million
Dembele’s time at Barcelona is basically remembered for poor ending and a string of accidents
After excelling in France after which Germany, Barcelona paid £135.5million to signal him in 2017 and president Joan Laporta stated he will likely be ‘higher than Mbappe’. There have been some excessive instances there however his La Liga profession is basically remembered for poor ending and accidents.
Certainly, Transfermarkt information data 14 separate muscle blows on the Camp Nou, spending 784 days sidelined and that includes in simply 37 per cent of league video games. He additionally struggled with the approach to life – he needed to stay like each different man of their younger 20s however couldn’t.
One supply factors to a turning level as his 2021 marriage in Morocco which stunned team-mates as a result of they didn’t even know he had a girlfriend. He quickly turned a father and began working with an harm prevention specialist, additionally using a French nutritionist.
His final contract at Barca got here in time of monetary turbulence so he inserted a €50m ($41m) launch clause – which PSG had been effectively conscious of. ‘Issues seemed like they had been understanding underneath Xavi at Barca however he needed to be in Paris and play together with his tremendous shut good friend Mbappe,’ provides Laurens.
‘PSG thought they had been getting an absolute discount – he was French, a superb age, a no brainer. They thought they might take him to the following stage. (Supervisor) Luis Enrique knew he may rework him.
‘Dwelling in Paris has been good for him, the life is less complicated for him and he knew this workforce would change into his when Mbappe left for Actual Madrid. He knew he may change into the boss of the workforce. He knew he was prepared, Ousmane knew it was his time now.’
Luis Enrique, a Champions League winner as Barca boss, spent hours working with Dembele on altering his place to be a false No 9. They’ve pored over clips within the evaluation room taking a look at positioning, physique form and the proper time to shoot.
The 27-year-old could effectively have tried too exhausting to impress up to now however was impressed by a video of Salah the place the Egyptian says gamers wouldn’t have to be at their high stage for 90 minutes, so long as they arrive to life when it issues.
Dembele has change into the important thing determine within the PSG workforce following Mbappe’s transfer to Actual Madrid
Luis Enrique spent hours working with Dembele on altering his place to be a false No.9
Dembele has now taken on a leader-like function at PSG in a squad stuffed with younger abilities
His ending has been remodeled for the reason that flip of the 12 months and can submit a menace to Liverpool
‘We’re witnessing a phenomenon,’ wrote a Le Parisien columnist on Dembele this week, whereas Luis Enrique described him as ‘like a Ps footballer’.
PSG have lengthy been the laughing inventory of the continent for a few of their flops on the most important stage. However Luis Enrique has pivoted them away from a egotistical workforce of galacticos to a younger squad that’s not full of people however one which thrives off tight-knit togetherness.
Dembele is now the leader-like determine however he’s supplemented by proficient stars corresponding to Bradley Barcola, Want Doue and Walter Zaire-Emery. New signing, Georgia winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, will add a brand new dimension after his January transfer from Napoli.
As for that Ballon d’Or shout from previous coach Stephan, a number of contenders will likely be on the pitch on Wednesday when Dembele and mates meet Salah and Co within the Parc des Princes. Since dropping to Bayern Munich in November, PSG are unbeaten in 22 video games and scored 66 targets in that point.
Given the type of each groups, this can be a match-up that may be becoming for Could’s grand closing in Munich.
‘For the reason that flip of the 12 months, Dembele has been remodeled fully,’ says Laurens. ‘Initially of this season he would miss sitter after sitter. We by no means thought he may enhance this drastically to be so environment friendly.
‘Nobody of their wildest desires on the membership would have thought he may flip into prime Brazilian Ronaldo!’
