PSG’s Désire Doué ‘didn’t feel targeted’ by Ousmane Dembélé criticism | OneFootball

Désiré Doué (20) said he didn’t feel as though he was the target of Ousmane Dembélé’s explosive comments about individualism in the Paris Saint-Germain squad earlier this month.

Dembélé’s comments came after a 3-1 loss to Stade Rennais. The defeat to Rennes would ultimately see PSG lose top spot in Ligue 1, with RC Lens beating Paris FC (5-0) the next day to usurp them. Dembélé, post-match, was critical of attitudes. “Above all, we have to play for Paris Saint-Germain to win matches because, if we play alone on the pitch, that won’t work. Last year, we put the club above everything else, before thinking about ourselves. We need to rediscover that. We have to play for the club first and foremost before thinking about ourselves,” said the Ballon d’Or winner in his post-match interview with Ligue 1 Plus.

Those comments elicited a strong response from PSG manager Luis Enrique. “I won’t allow any player to be above the club. That is clear. I won’t allow any player to think he is more important than the club,” said the Spaniard.

No player was mentioned by Dembélé, however, reports suggested that it was Doué who was the subject of the Ballon d’Or winner’s ire. If he was, he responded perfectly against AS Monaco last week, coming off the bench to net a decisive brace in a 3-2 win in the first-leg of the UEFA Champions League play-off. 

But speaking ahead of the second leg, Doué said that he didn’t believe that he was the target. “In my opinion, the leaders are allowed to speak and should do so at times. It is normal that there is frustration after a loss. We are a team and a club with a lot of ambition. Among ourselves, we said things clearly and today we are happy to move forward together. I didn’t feel targeted,” said Doué in Tuesday’s press conference. 

GFFN | Luke Entwistle