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Ousmane Dembele has had the terrible misfortune of getting his Barcelona career started in the worst possible way, and with an injury expected to keep him out for several months, there are concerns about how the club can react.
Here, however, are five reasons why there shouldn't be any panic.
Denis Suarez and Gerard Deulofeu's time to shine
The two players that the injury to Ousmane Dembele should impact the most are Denis Suarez and Gerard Deulofeu. Both can play from the right side and offer differing attributes to the team.
Denis is someone who can be situated from the right but drifts inside to join the centre of midfield, adding an extra body in there during attacking phases. Denis’ ability to play on the right was showcased at Villarreal, and in the second half of the 2015/2016 season, he was a revelation in the role, blending hard work with definition around the final third.
Deulofeu, meanwhile, is a more natural right-sided presence, a classic winger of sorts, who looks to beat his man with pace and skill. He can retain width, but also drive into the penalty area and offer extra support.
The Spaniard enjoys drilling crosses in, or more often than not, driving to the byline and cutting the ball back for a teammate. The competition generated between the pair for Dembele's vacant spot will only benefit Barça, and push both players to a higher level.
Why worry when there's Lionel Messi?
Having a player of Lionel Messi’s ability makes dealing with any absence that bit easier. The Argentinean striker has already shown this season that he's refreshed and motivated for a big campaign, and with a new role handed to him by Ernesto Valverde, Messi can shine even brighter.
Messi is operating closer to the goal, and getting himself in more advanced position a difference in and around the penalty area. Often, Messi was weighed down by other duties on the field and while he’s excellent at them all, he can’t always be expected to produce such a volume of work. Even the brilliant Messi needs a less of a load on his shoulders.
After six games this season, the 30-year-old has already fired in an incredible nine goals, including a stunning four-goal haul against Eibar. While it would’ve been nice to have Dembele in the team and working with and around Messi, for now, it seems the four-time Ballon d’Or can manage without the young Frenchman being around.
Dembele isn’t even integrated yet
It’s not outrageous to say that this injury could’ve come at a far worse time for Barcelona. For instance, Dembele could’ve been fully integrated into the team and key to its function. The case is however that the former Borussia Dortmund man has barely had a run in the team and was simply acclimatising. He’s not a key member of the starting XI yet so in a sense, Ernesto Valverde doesn’t have the issue of replacing a regular player.
Dembele will spend some time on the sidelines and can watch from afar the Barca setup and how it functions, then when he does return he may have a better idea of what he can provide. Make no mistake, Dembele’s time will come, we just have to wait and see a little longer before we see it.
Points advantage
Although it’s an early stage of the season, Barcelona can consider themselves to be in a relatively comfortable position given their seven-point lead over Real Madrid at the top of LaLiga.
This has come following an incredible six-game unbeaten run to start the season. Barca’s set about turning everything they did incorrectly last season right this time, and so far the signs are extremely positive as the season truly gets in full swing.
While the breathing room does not excuse mistakes, it does mean Barça can afford a slip-up at some stage without having to be too concerned with Real Madrid’s results. Given that they trailed for much of last season it’s a welcome return to holding an advantage for Barça.
Valverde worked with minor resources before
Ernesto Valverde is a man who has made do with little before, and given what he’s left with at Barca after Dembele’s injury, he will still feel his luxury of options. At Athletic Bilbao, he operated with a small squad and limited resources, yet nine times out of ten found the right solution in the circumstances.
It’s something he can bring to the table at Barca, and you can fully expect not to hear Valverde grumble over an injury loss or two. As ever, he’ll calculate the best possible solution given what he has available and come up successful. This humble, rational approach will be vital when operating in the at times hysterical Barca environment.
