Papin weighs in on Dembélé: are PSG really reliant on him? | OneFootball

In Téléfoot, Jean-Pierre Papin (62 years old) summed up the influence of Ousmane Dembélé (28 years old), forward for Paris Saint-Germain, in one idea: with him, Paris changes its face. A comprehensible reading... provided one does not fall into the trap of the providential man, to the detriment of the collective.

Papin points out a real issue: when Dembélé is in rhythm, PSG gains in speed of execution, unpredictability, and efficiency in crucial areas. His contribution is not limited to the final move: he attracts, provokes, creates openings, and forces the opponent to defend deeper — which also frees up others.

But there is a classic trap, that of individualizing football: turning a team into a dependency. PSG is better with a great Dembélé, yes. However, this group is not meant to sanctify an “indispensable” player. Dembélé shone also because he was supported by a solid collective framework last season, and it is precisely this framework that must remain the foundation.

The real luxury for Paris is not having “a player without whom everything collapses”: it is being able to win differently depending on the evening, with or without a unique hero. Modern football quickly punishes teams that confuse a star with a game plan.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇫🇷 here.