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Dr. Ramon Cugat, who has treated many Barcelona players in recent years, has shed light on the reason behind Ousmane Dembele’s recurring injuries. The surgeon believes the “loss of flexibility” at the healing site has contributed to the Frenchman’s woes in recent seasons.
Since making a €150 million switch from Borussia Dortmund in 2017, Dembele has missed 92 games (via Transfermarkt) due to injuries and illness. During a meeting hosted by Instituto Cugat, the renowned orthopedic doctor in the world of sports medicine speculated on the cause of Dembele’s injuries. He revealed (via FCBarca):
“I didn't know exactly what he was having a problem with. He was operated on, began to make progress, and then suffered many injuries.
“When there are so many injuries, the muscle loses its flexibility at the healing site and other injuries occur. If the scar is formed in one part, the injury occurs in another.”
Having been forced to miss out on so many matches, the player has failed to justify his sky-high potential and price tag. So far, the France international has only featured in 146 games for Barcelona, registering 32 goals and 32 assists.
Dembele has got second wind under new Barcelona manager Xavi
Ousmane Dembele’s relationship with Barcelona was at a breaking point in the winter. The club wanted the player to either sign an extension or leave the club in the winter itself.
The 24-year-old, meanwhile, wanted to stay put until the end of the season and leave as a free agent after exhausting his contract. Many expected Xavi to keep him on the sidelines following the winter fiasco, but the former midfielder has taken a different route.
Dembele has featured in almost every game for the Catalan outfit over the last couple of months. He is thriving under Xavi, producing one eye-catching performance after another.
Since February 20, Dembele has featured in 10 La Liga games for the Camp Nou outfit. The 24-year-old has bagged one goal and 11 assists in that stretch.
His best performance came against the Athletic Club on 28 February. Against the Basque outfit, Dembele not only scored a goal but also set up two of his teammates to ensure a 4-0 win.
