Ousmane Dembele Has Matched Messi And Benzema At FC Barcelona

Ousmane Dembele has matched the numbers of Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema and former teammate Lionel Messi, now at Paris Saint Germain, with his sensational upturn in form in 2022.

FC Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez predicted great things for the Frenchman when he took over the reins from Ronald Koeman in November, tipping him to become the best in the world in his position.

Even a refusal to sign a new contract did not deter the manager on helping the 24-year-old complete this mission. While others demanded that Xavi should send the €105mn ($115mn) signing from Borussia Dortmund to the stands to watch the rest of the season, the club legend instead decided to take him under his wing and the numbers now speak for themselves.

From the right wing on Sunday night against Levante, the Blaugrana were trailing 1-0 against the 19th-ranked team in La Liga and ‘Dembouz’ was again the man of the hour.

Granted the introduction of Gavi and Pedri, who started the move, was vital, but the pair found their teammate who then knocked in an inch-perfect cross for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to level the score before Barca romped to an eventual 3-2 win.

Dembele’s assist means that he has 11 of them in 14 appearances in the Spanish top flight this term, with Mundo Deportivo pointing out that this levels Les Bleus comrade Benzema who has needed 27 days or 13 more than Dembele to achieve the feat.

Not only that, but Dembele’s nine assists since the turn of 2022 means he has also matched Lionel Messi at PSG who got a hat trick of them at the weekend in a 6-1 win over Clermont Foot.

Dembele’s return of eight assists in his last eight games is even more impressive, and while they once booed him at Camp Nou over his contract impasse, Culers are now hellbent on the attacker staying put in Catalonia while Dider Deschamps also considers recalling him to the France national team fold with the Qatar 2022 World Cup in November on the horizon.