Ousmane Dembele opens up on struggles out wide and joy in central role

Ousmane Dembele has always been known for his speed and flair, but the Paris Saint-Germain winger admits life on the flank is far more demanding than many realize.

The French star, who found his rhythm last season in Paris, reflected on how his positioning impacts his performance.

Speaking to PSG TV, Dembele shared that being stationed wide forces him into exhausting battles before he even gets a sight of goal.

“On the wing, you have to dribble three or four players, you get in front of the goalkeeper, you’re tired, you shoot over, you see,” he said.

The forward noted that things felt different in earlier stages of his career.

“Dortmund and Rennes? Yes, I could score a lot. After that, I was not playing in the same position,” he explained. “At Rennes, I started two or three matches on the side, but then I was just behind the striker, and it’s not the same when you are closer to goal.”

Dembele also recalled that at Dortmund he played centrally, which made everything easier, unlike his years spent wide at Barcelona.