Ousmane Dembélé returns under Luis Enrique’s plan

Ousmane Dembélé is back in Paris Saint-Germain’s plans, but Luis Enrique is managing his return gradually rather than restoring him immediately to the starting XI. The coach said the forward’s limited role against Monaco was a deliberate decision, not a sign that his position in the squad had changed.

Dembélé had been left out against Lille before returning to the group for the Monaco match. He began that game among the substitutes and came on during the second half, producing a convincing performance in approximately 20 to 25 minutes. His display showed that he was ready to contribute, but PSG are still increasing his workload in stages.

Luis Enrique explained that Dembélé had pushed himself to play both recent Super Cups, the UEFA Super Cup and the Trophée des Champions, before taking some time to recover. The coach said the circumstances differ from one player to another and indicated that the same measured approach will continue over PSG’s next matches.

The 29-year-old France international joined PSG from Barcelona in the 2023-24 season for €50 million. Listed as a centre-forward, he remains one of the club’s key attacking options, with a market value of €100 million. His return gives Enrique another major option while the coaching staff controls his playing time.