Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez lauded “lethal” Ousmane Dembele after the France forward’s goal downed Real Sociedad in Wednesday’s Copa del Rey quarterfinal at Camp Nou.
Dembele sealed a scintillating performance with his third goal in six games as Barca beat 10-man La Real 1-0 to book their place in the semifinal.
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In addition to his goal, Dembele caused the away side problems throughout the game with his pace and created a great chance for Gavi, who hit the crossbar.
“I think Dembele has matured a lot since we took over,” Xavi said in a post-game news conference. “We have just given him the tools. He is lethal. We always say when he comes inside, he has to shoot more because he has that quality and he can make the difference in games.
“You see the faces of the full-backs, they suffer. We have just given him confidence. He has so much potential. I believe in him. I think a lot of this comes down to making the right decisions. He is also enjoying himself and the fans are enjoying him.”
Dembele’s moment of form — he now has eight goals this season — contrasts with the situation he was in one year ago, when Barca dropped him from the squad due to a stalemate over a new contract.
The former Borussia Dortmund winger eventually signed a new two-year deal with the club and is now one of the most important players in Xavi’s side.
“I am delighted for him because he is a good guy and a good professional,” Xavi added. “He has turned things around and that is not easy at Barca.
“He’s the one full of confidence and quality. We try to guide him. For me, he is one of the best in the world in his position.
“He has so much quality, but from there you have to believe in yourself. At Barca, it’s important to have that mentality to believe that you can influence games.”
