Ousmane Dembele: Former Barcelona Star Breaks Silence After ‘Hurting’ Catalans in UCL With PSG

• Ousmane Dembele has broken his silence after helping PSG oust Barcelona
• Despite receiving hostile treatment, the Frenchman shone brightly on Tuesday
• He bagged the man-of-the-match award as PSG reached the semis of the UCL

Ousmane Dembele has spoken out after his impactful performance against Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday evening.

Making his return to Catalonia since his move to PSG last summer, the Frenchman played a pivotal role in knocking out his former club from the competition.

Seizing the opportunity after Ronald Araujo's red card, Dembele scored just 11 minutes later with a powerful strike inside the box.

His goal in the 34th minute sparked PSG's dominance as they capitalised on their numerical advantage.

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Portuguese midfielder Vitinha levelled the tie after halftime, followed by Kylian Mbappe's brace, securing PSG a semi-final spot.

Barcelona treat Dembele with scorn

Before the qualification match, Barcelona fans had threatened to subject Dembele to treatment reminiscent of what Luis Figo experienced.

However, it was the French player who ultimately had the satisfaction of seeing his club advance on Barca's home turf.

According to Barca Universal, Dembele encountered a particularly unfriendly reception at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys. Supporters burned his jersey before the match and jeered him throughout.

How did Dembele perform amid hostile environment?

Amidst the tense environment, the 2022 World Cup runner-up showcased his brilliance since departing Barcelona for PSG, earning himself the man-of-the-match award.

Sofascore stats highlight his completion of four out of six dribbles, coupled with scoring the crucial opening goal that ignited PSG's remarkable comeback.

He stood out with a rating of 8.3, second only to Mbappe in performance.

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What did he say after breaking Barcelona's hearts?

Despite facing a hostile reception from his former club, the 26-year-old appeared unfazed when questioned about it. He conveyed his respect for Barcelona but affirmed his contentment at PSG.

“Barcelona is a great club. I love it. I'm very happy in Paris, and now we go to the semi-finals,” he said, as quoted by Fabrizio Romano.

“The whistles from Barc fans? It’s normal in every football stadium”.

Dortmund seal comeback to beat Atletico

In the other UCL tie, Borussia Dortmund staged a remarkable comeback to defeat Atletico Madrid 4-2 in their quarter-final second leg, securing a 5-4 aggregate victory and their first Champions League semi-final since 2013.

Julian Brandt and Ian Maatsen gave Dortmund a 2-0 lead at halftime. Diego Simeone's halftime changes, including Angel Correa's introduction, revitalized Atletico, leading to Mats Hummels' own goal and Correa's goal.

However, Dortmund responded emphatically, with Niclas Fuellkrug and Marcel Sabitzer scoring within three minutes, sealing their progression, as reported by Sports Brief.