PARIS — Ousmane Dembélé has started 2025 with the intention of continuing, with three goals in two games for Paris Saint-Germain’s first trophy of the new year, as well as a continued seven-point lead at the top of the Championnat ahead of Olympique de Marseille. The French international scored the only goal of the game as Luis Enrique’s side beat AS Monaco 1-0 to win the Champions Trophy in Qatar before scoring both goals in PSG’s 2-1 home win against AS Saint-Etienne on Sunday.
Dembélé and Les Parisiens fell behind against Les Monegasques to claim victory in Doha, but struck early against Les Verts to ensure Eirik Horneland’s determined visitors could not come away with anything from the Parc des Princes. The former Barcelona player’s shot against Monaco was quite simple (although you can never be sure of anything in front of goal with the Frenchman), but his first goal against Saint-Etienne was an excellent left-footed shot coming in from the right . before converting a penalty.
“Yes, it was an important victory to maintain our distance at the top of Ligue 1,” Dembélé said after the match. “We didn’t make it easy for ourselves at the end of the game. They pressed and played their game, which was not defending. We had enough space and I think we could have scored two or three more goals. We are happy with the three points. No, this is not a new version of me. I’ve always been like that. Now that things are taking shape, it’s okay and we will try to continue like this.”
There is no doubt that Dembélé is PSG’s man in 2025 so far after just two games and that is encouraging news for coach Luis Enrique, who knows his team faces some challenging tasks in the coming weeks, particularly Manchester City at home in UEFA. Champions League. The 27-year-old excelled in the latter stages of last season in Europe, especially in the home and away games against Barça, and the Spanish tactician will be hoping for more of that against City and VfB Stuttgart to progress from the league. . phase.
“For us it is important and ideal that a player like Ousmane scores two goals,” Luis Enrique said after the match after seeing his team allow Zuriko Davitashvili to score a magnificent free kick to make Paris sweat victory in the second half in the capital. “I think about all the players on the team, because we are a team. The most important thing is that we are all together and that is important to me.”
Such a focused Dembélé is a huge boost considering the struggles of the first half of the campaign with the likes of the former Stade Rennais player contributing to his slow start in the UCL when he was left out of the defeat to Arsenal due to arriving late to training before the game. If he builds on his form over the last five games, he has six goals in those games and braces against Monaco and Saint-Etienne, as well as one-goals against ASM and Olympique Lyonnais.
With Dembélé showing his appetite for big games and Luis Enrique carefully managing the minutes of some of his star players ahead of five more games this month and a possibly packed February that could also include Champions League qualifiers, PSG have the momentum on your side. Whether that will be enough against City and Stuttgart will not depend solely on Dembélé, but he is capable of changing games and making a difference for Paris and lately he is showing that he is ready to do so when his team needs him most.
