"No one was patient" - Ex-Barcelona technical secretary makes bold comments on Catalan club's treatment of Ousmane Dembele before PSG move

Former Barcelona technical secretary Robert Fernandez has revealed that no one was patient with Ousmane Dembele during his stint at the Camp Nou. Fernandez also highlighted that the Frenchman was inexperienced to understand several situations at the time.

In a lengthy discussion, Fernandez spoke about Barcelona and had this to say about Dembele's stint at the club. He said (via Barca Universal):

“No one was patient. Not the press, not the club, and he was too young to understand many things. That’s the reality. But he’s taught us all a lesson. He already taught it to us in his last year at Barça."

He added:

"Everything that was said – that he wasn’t a good professional, that he went out at night, that he drank… wasn’t true. After two very serious injuries, in a very difficult environment, he showed that he was a great professional."

After Neymar's tearful departure, Barca broke the bank and signed Dembele from Borussia Dortmund for €135 million in 2017. However, his time at the Camp Nou was plagued with a lot of fitness crises, which affected his ability to remain consistent.

Thus, in the summer of 2023, Paris Saint-Germain submitted an €50 million bid for the Frenchman to Barcelona, which was accepted. In six seasons at the Camp Nou, Dembele delivered 40 goals and 41 assists in 185 outings.

"I’m very happy that he’s doing well" - Former Barcelona technical secretary on Ousmane Dembele's presence from

Paris Saint-Germain Training Session And Press Conference - UEFA Champions League Final 2025 - Source: Getty

Fernandez also lauded Ousmane Dembele’s performance in his recent stint and revealed that the French star has been a wonderful professional. He also hailed Dembele for conquering two complicated injury setbacks.

In the same discussion on Blaugrana, Fernandez said (via Barca Universal):

"And I’m very happy that he’s doing well. He is a very good boy, and he has been a great professional. Overcoming two serious injuries and getting out of such a complicated context is not just anyone’s do. He is 28 years old, a magnificent age."

Since moving back to his country of origin, Dembele's performance has transformed. This season, the Frenchman is a leading candidate for the Ballon d’Or.

In 48 games, Dembele has contributed 33 goals and 13 assists. If PSG wins the UEFA Champions League final against Inter Milan on Saturday (May 31), Dembele's chances of winning the Ballon d’Or would increase.

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Abel is an European football journalist who focuses primarily on analysis pieces and preview copies at Sportskeeda. A B.Sc degree holder in Economics, he has a previous work experience of 3 years – a year at Opera News Hub where he was promoted as a 'Verified Sports Writer,’ and over two years at Sportskeeda as a revenue-share writer, where his writing skills have ultimately led him to be integrated into the in-house team.

A Manchester United fan who grew up in a family of Red Devils supporters, he started his journey as an ardent football fan in his childhood. He used to spend hours watching the sport with his family and developed a knack for writing about the beautiful game over the years.

He is a huge admirer of Paul Pogba owing to the midfielder's ability to thread passes from anywhere on the pitch and his favorite manager is Jose Mourinho due to the Portuguese's tactical mind. He feels France's triumph in 2018 is his all-time favorite World Cup moment, and reckons Lamine Yamal and Endrick could replicate the rivalry between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Abel always strives to verify information, especially statistics, before penning a word and offers constructive but not defamatory criticisms. Apart from Europe's top five leagues, he follows the Eredivisie and the Primeira Liga. He loves to spend his free time playing video games like EA FC and watching movies.

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Edited by Tejas Rathi