Xavi expresses his disappointment over Dembele’s departure

Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez expressed his disappointment on Saturday over winger Ousmane Dembele’s decision to leave the club and sign with Paris Saint-Germain. Dembele’s arrival at PSG was confirmed earlier in the day, as they activated a 50 million euro release clause in his contract.

Xavi defended Dembele against criticism and praised his importance to the team, particularly in their La Liga triumph last season. He referred to Dembele as a good kid who played a crucial role for Barcelona. Xavi stated that it was a huge disappointment for him personally that Dembele chose to leave when he had found happiness at the club. He believed in the project at Barcelona, but Dembele decided otherwise. Xavi wished him luck but overall found the situation disappointing.

Dembele joined Barcelona from Borussia Dortmund six years ago for a then-club record fee. However, injuries hindered his progress until Xavi’s arrival allowed him to find consistency. Barcelona will begin their La Liga title defense against Getafe on Sunday.

Dembele’s departure, along with a recent financial agreement involving the sale of a third of shares in Barca Vision, enabled the club to register Ilkay Gundogan’s contract with La Liga. Barcelona also registered Ronald Araujo’s new deal with the league, and although some players are yet to be registered, Xavi expressed confidence that he would have almost everyone available for the match against Getafe.

Xavi concluded by mentioning that he was 90% sure of having almost the entire squad ready for the upcoming game, as everyone was making a big effort and the team was optimistic.

Source: August 12, 2023