‘Worthless statements’ – Luis Enrique hits back at Ousmane Dembele after shock PSG loss

Luis Enrique has hit back at Ousmane Dembele for his comments after Paris Saint-Germain’s shock 3-1 defeat to Rennes on Friday.

The PSG head coach was left reeling by the Ballon d’Or winner’s post-match verdict after the Ligue 1 title race took a dramatic turn.

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The French champions were looking to open up a four-point gap on second-place Lens, who play their city rivals Paris FC on Saturday.

However, despite boasting 69 per cent possession at Roazhon Park, PSG slipped to a stunning 3-1 defeat to managerless Rennes.

The hosts fired former Newcastle star Habib Beye earlier this week following a five-game winless run.

Ironically, Rennes’ last match was a 3-1 loss to PSG’s title rivals Lens, in which future Liverpool star Jeremy Jacquet suffered a serious injury.

Yet ‘Les Rennais’ moved ahead of Monaco as the team to have beaten PSG the most in Ligue 1 in the QSI era with their eighth triumph.

The visitors, who arrived in Brittany after winning seven successive league fixtures, fell behind to Musa Al-Taamari’s first-half strike.

Esteban Lepaul doubled Rennes’ lead in the 69th minute, before Dembele reduced the deficit against his old club two minutes later.

Breel Embolo, who scored for Switzerland in their Euro 2024 defeat to England, sealed the win for caretaker boss Sebastien Tambouret.

Dembele calls out teammates in post-match interview

“Above all, we have to play for PSG in order to win matches,” he told Ligue 1+ when discussing his teammates playing as individuals.

“If we play as individuals on the pitch, it won’t work; we won’t win the titles we want.

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“Last season, we put the club before everything else, before thinking about ourselves. We have to rediscover that, especially in these matches.

“We know we’re in the second half of the season. And Paris Saint-Germain has to come first, not individual players.”

Luis Enrique dismisses ‘worthless comments’

Dembele’s manager was less than pleased with the former Barcelona winger’s comments and branded the statements ‘worthless’.

Enrique doubled down on his claim that he is responsible for the defeat and none of his players are ‘more important than the club’.

“The players’ statements after the match are worthless,” Enrique said in his press conference.

“Absolutely worthless. Neither are the coaches’ statements, but the players’ statements are worthless. I’m not going to answer any question from a player, any response from a player.

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“I will never allow any player to be above the club. So, it’s clear. I am the person responsible for the team.

“I will not allow any player to think that he is more important than the club. Neither me, nor the sporting director, nor the president, nor the club.

“So, these statements are worthless. They are the result of anger after a match, and I think that’s clear. We have nothing to lose.”