The FC Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez has warned the club supporters against Ousmane Dembele.
Ousmane Dembele has been a subject of transfer controversy at the Camp Nou, after failing to renew his contract with the Catalan club.
Xavi noted that the player has been receiving harsh treatment from club supporters amid a contract dispute, in which he expresses his disappointment.
Dembele is one of us – Xavi
Xavi pleaded with the Barcelona fans to stop disrespecting Ousmane Dembele by booing especially when they played Atletico Madrid at Camp Nou on Sunday.
The France international was jeered by the home crowd when his name was called in the public announcer as he was an unused substitute.
Xavi said he meant to play Dembele as a substitute in their 4-2 win over Atletico on Sunday, but Dani Alves’ red card changed his plans.
Xavi said, “I would like them to support Ousmane, I’d ask them to stop booing him. The idea was for him to come on, but I decided on other things because of the red card and the way the game went.”
Dembele is set to leave the club at the end of his contract after refusing to accept a pay cut as part of the new deal.
The club has been critical of him after negotiations broke down, but Xavi intends to keep him in the squad during the second half of the campaign.
“We did not find a solution with Ousmane, so the circumstances have now changed, we have spoken with the president [Joan Laporta] and made the decision [to reintegrate Dembele]. He has a contract, he is part of the squad and we are not going to shoot ourselves in the foot by not using him,” Xavi reiterated.
