Arsenal’s Saliba Takes an Indirect Shot at Enrique for Dropping Dembele
In a move that raised eyebrows, Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique made the bold decision to leave Ousmane Dembélé out of the squad for their crucial Champions League clash against Arsenal. The French winger, who has been in exceptional form, was conspicuously absent from the lineup in PSG’s 2-0 defeat at the Emirates Stadium. The decision, as many pundits speculated, turned out to be a miscalculation.
Dembélé, 27, had been one of PSG’s standout performers this season, contributing four goals and four assists in just seven matches across all competitions. His explosive pace and creativity were sorely missed on Tuesday night as PSG struggled to find any real spark against an Arsenal side that was clinical in both defense and attack.
Following the match, Arsenal defender William Saliba was asked about Dembélé’s absence and whether it made a difference in their game plan. His response, though respectful, suggested that PSG’s loss was Arsenal’s gain.
“I think we really deserved the win today,” Saliba told Canal+, via Paris Fans. “The coach told us we needed to be better in both boxes, and we delivered on that. Every chance we got, we made it count. Even when we were struggling, we defended well as a team. Overall, I think we earned this victory.”
When pressed on whether playing against PSG without Dembélé made things easier for the Gunners, Saliba didn’t shy away from giving his perspective: “I think it helped [to play PSG without Dembélé]. We know they have other players to cover for him, but we focused on our own game. His absence definitely worked in our favor.”
The omission of Dembélé will likely be a point of discussion for Enrique, as PSG now faces the task of bouncing back against OGC Nice in Ligue 1. With the international break looming, the French side has time to regroup before their next Champions League fixture against PSV Eindhoven on October 22.
Arsenal’s Saliba Takes an Indirect Shot at Enrique for Dropping Dembele