Luis Enrique has moved to shut down the controversy surrounding Ousmane Dembélé. Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, on the eve of PSG’s trip to Lille, the Paris coach confirmed that the rest period granted to his forward was fully intentional and part of his usual squad management. PSG announced on Wednesday that Dembélé would return to training on Monday, August 31, in agreement with the coach and the sporting management.
There is no controversy to fuel, according to Luis Enrique. Everything is fine between the Spaniard and Ousmane Dembélé despite the seven-day break given to the Frenchman. The decision inevitably sparked questions after the 2-2 draw at Rennes, during which Dembélé was substituted at half-time. But Luis Enrique insists there is no particular issue with the player and pointed out that he has already given similar breaks to several key members of his squad in the past.
Luis Enrique fully backs Dembélé
“Last year we did the same thing, giving players recovery periods. It was the case with Dembélé, Hakimi or Mbappé over the last three years,” Luis Enrique explained at his press conference, in comments reported by RMC Sport. The Spanish coach then went even further in defending his forward: “I am a big admirer of Ousmane Dembélé. He is an essential player. He made a big effort this summer to be available for the Super Cup finals during his holidays.” After a very long 2025-2026 season, PSG’s internationals had only a shortened pre-season, with Dembélé among those who returned late before the UEFA Super Cup against Aston Villa on August 12.
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Luis Enrique therefore stressed the importance of managing the workload of his number 10. “He has been, he is and he will be an essential player for us. He made a good decision this week. There is nothing important.” The PSG coach also expressed frustration with the speculation surrounding Dembélé’s absence: “I am convinced that we are on the right path. There is noise around PSG, whatever the decisions. The players are used to the way I manage these situations.”
The message is clear: Dembélé’s rest period is neither a punishment nor a sign of a breakdown in his relationship with Luis Enrique. It is primarily a fitness-management decision following a demanding summer and shortened preparation. Dembélé will therefore miss Friday night’s trip to Lille at 8:45pm, before returning to collective training on Monday, August 31. Luis Enrique expects to quickly have one of his key players back at his best: “In the future, we will look for the same level as in the past.”
