Related News
Barca looks to regroup without Dembele
Print Edition
BARCELONA again has to try to find solutions to keep its attack competitive.
Just when Ousmane Dembele was starting to get used to his role as Neymar’s replacement, the young forward was struck by an injury that will keep him sidelined for up to four months.
With the transfer market closed and no other top forward in the squad, Barcelona has to go back to the drawing board to find another partner for Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi, who has been carrying the load for the offense with eight goals in seven matches in all competitions this season.
The Catalan club leads the Spanish league after winning its first four matches. Its next match is today against Eibar at home.
The responsibility to help the attack may fall again on Gerard Deulofeu, who failed to impress when he was first given the chance to replace Neymar.
Barcelona had not yet signed Dembele when it promoted the 23-year-old player to try to fill the hole left by the Brazilian star when he moved to Paris Saint-Germain in a world-record transfer worth more than 220 million euros (US$262 million).
Deulofeu struggled under the spotlight, though, and only improved after being demoted to a secondary role.
Coach Ernesto Valverde may also replace Dembele by improvising other players in the position, including Denis Suarez, Sergi Roberto, Aleix Vidal and Paco Alcacer.
Deulofeu replaced Dembele when the 20-year-old forward injured his left thigh tendon midway through the first half of Barcelona’s 2-1 win at Getafe on Saturday. Dembele will undergo surgery to repair the tendon today in Finland.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid striker Cristiano Ronaldo will return to action against Real Betis tomorrow after serving a five-match suspension, as the champion looks to keep the pressure on Barcelona.
Ronaldo was sent off during the Spanish Super Cup win over Barcelona on August 13 and banned for five matches after pushing the referee, meaning he is yet to feature in the league this season. The Portuguese hitman struck twice in his only appearance since the incident, a 3-0 win over Apoel Nicosia in the Champions League last Wednesday.
Borja Mayoral and Gareth Bale struck for a weakened Real on Sunday as it beat Real Sociedad 3-1, but as well as Ronaldo, Marcelo and Toni Kroos are expected to return after suspension and injury, respectively.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
