Ousmane Dembele was the star of the show for Barcelona as they defeated Real Sociedad in the Copa del Rey quarterfinal on Wednesday night.
Dembele’s super strike in the second half was the only goal of the game, as Barca saw off a brave La Real side that played over half of the game with ten men following Brais Mendez’s red card.
Dembele’s all-round play was very impressive, and he laid on several chances for his Barca teammates. However, his sole goal was enough, and Barca are now into the semifinals of the Copa del Rey.
Barca head coach Xavi Hernandez was full of praise for the Frenchman, and underlined that the performance against La Real wasn’t a one-off.
“It’s not just today (for Dembele’s good performances). He’s a player who has matured a lot since we’ve been here. We give him the tools. I see a lot of quality in him.
“Dembele is a player with tremendous potential. I believe in him a lot. Full-backs always suffer when they have to defend him. He’s a good guy. He’s turned the tables and I’m very happy for him.”
Dembele’s teammates also know just how good the Frenchman is, and Alejandro Balde explained that he is very happy to have the winger at Barca.
“It’s a pride to have Dembele in this team. He has many qualities, and he brings a lot in attack.”
Barca are potentially just 270 minutes away from adding to their Spanish Super Cup crown, and Balde is determined to help the club win the Copa.
“We had four games left, now three. It’s our goal, we want this Copa del Rey trophy.”
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