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Why Ousmane Dembele is struggling and why it will only improve from here on.

Why Ousmane Dembele is struggling and why it will only improve from here on.

  • Kaustubh Pandey(@Kaus_Pandey17)
Eyebrows were raised and records were broken when Barcelona struck a deal with Borussia Dortmund to sign Ousmane Dembele for what was then a club record fee. The young starlet was already being hailed as one of the future stars of world football, amidst an impressive series of performanes for not just BVB but for the French national side too.

Things though, haven't worked out well enough for young Dembele. The 20-year-old has made only seven starts in the La Liga and has appeared four times from the bench. He has scored only once this whole season and that too in the UEFA Champions League against Chelsea.

First things first, it wasn't supposed to be special as soon as he came. He's just 20 and coming to Barcelona for such a big fee will take time. And that is exactly what has happened with Dembele. He hasn't enjoyed the best of seasons and the unrealistic expectations have taken a toll on him. He's probably where he should be- finding his feet. 

Injuries haven't left him. One long term injuries and the niggles that he has suffered from consistently through the campaign have cut down the time that he has had to influence himself and make himself feel acclimatised to the Barcelona way. He has begun to flourish only recently; after being fit all over again.

Above all, it is FC Barcelona he is playing for. The amount of firepower they have in their attack is second to none a lot of times. After Philippe Coutinho's arrival, the competition has increased all the more. And Dembele, being the youngest of the lot, will obviously take time to settle in.

Barcelona know that they have invested in the future and not for this season. They know that despite a below par season by his standards, Dembele will come good soon enough. Patience is the name of the game.