BARCELONA: France international Ousmane Dembele has been named on the Barcelona squad for Sunday’s crunch Spanish league match against Atletico Madrid despite his ongoing contract standoff with the Liga side.
Xavi Hernandez has opted to stick with the talented 24-year-old despite reinforcements — Adama Traoré, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Ferran Torres — signed in the winter transfer window as Barcelona face a fight to finish in La Liga’s top four this season.
Xavi had warned Dembele on January 19 that he had to “extend” his contract or “leave” the club.
But the Barcelona coach conceded that he had no choice but to recall the French player who warned he would not “give in to blackmail” after being left out of last month’s Copa del Rey tie against Athletic Bilbao, with the Catalans crashing out to an extra-time defeat.
“Circumstances meant that we had to find a solution with Ousmane,” Xavi told Saturday’s pre-match press conference.
“He is part of the club and the squad. We met and we decided that he is part of the team. We can’t afford to shoot ourselves in the foot. It’s the club’s decision and we’ll use him when we think it’s necessary. He’s a player in the team like any other.”
“A month ago, we decided one thing, but circumstances have changed,” added Xavi.
“We did everything possible to find a solution. I understand the position of the club, the player and the supporters, who can be a little disgusted.
“But we have to be selfish. He is a player who can help us achieve our goals. We are all in this together. We now think that the best for the team is that he is part of the team normally.”
The winger’s contract expires in the summer, when he will be able to leave Barcelona for free.
Dembele returns for Barca after contract stand-off
https://arab.news/5ba3m
Dembele returns for Barca after contract stand-off
- Xavi Hernandez has opted to stick with the talented 24-year-old despite reinforcements
- Barcelona coach had warned Dembele on January 19 that he had to "extend" his contract or "leave" the club
Nabucco Al-Maury has second crack at glory on Saudi Cup weekend
- French challenger aiming to go one better in the $1.5m Group 1 Al-Mneefah Cup
RIYADH: French raider Nabucco Al-Maury (FR) returns to Riyadh on Feb. 13 hoping to go one better than last year when finishing runner-up to RB Kingmaker (US) in the $1.5-million group one Al-Mneefah Cup, presented by the Ministry of Culture.
Trained in 2025 by Hamad Al-Jehani, the 6-year-old son of Assy (QA) joined the yard of Xavier Thomas-Demeaulte in Mont-de-Marsan last spring where he has continued to thrive.
Although he has not managed to reach the top step of the podium in the last couple of seasons, he has remained consistent. His last run in the group one The President Cup in December in Abu Dhabi, behind local champion HM Alchahine (FR), was particularly eye-catching.
“That was a really good performance,” said the French handler, who will also saddle the mare Lacaro du Croate (FR) in the 2,100-meter turf race.
“I didn’t train Nabucco Al-Maury when he came to Riyadh last year. He arrived in my yard in the spring, and we have progressively worked our way to the top.
“He has improved with each of his runs. His second place behind HM Alchahine was very good. We beat RB Kingmaker quite easily, which we hadn’t done before, so that was a great result.”
The Helal & Tahnon Alalawi-trained RB Kingmaker (US) will again feature amongst his opponents in the Al-Mneefah Cup. “I know that he is in it,” said the trainer.
“We beat him quite easily in Abu Dhabi, but he probably needed that race and we know he runs well in Riyadh.
“Maybe he will transform himself there. And I know that there is the very good mare of Alban de Mieulle, RB Mary Lylah (US), in the field, so we shall see.”
The only French-based trainer with runners in the two events for Purebred Arabians this year, he is also looking forward to saddling the 5-year-old mare Lacaro du Croate in the Al-Mneefah.
A winner of the group one Criterium des Pouliches – Wathba Stallions at La Teste in France last July, she has just made her seasonal reappearance in a conditions race at Pau where she finished second to dual Triple Crown champion Al-Ghadeer (FR).
“It was a good performance,” added the trainer. “She only saw Al-Ghadeer’s behind but that was to be expected. He did his job, she did hers. In fact, she did what we asked her to do.”
With exceptionally heavy rainfalls continuing across the southwest of France, their trainer decided last week to take both contenders to the Pau racecourse for a final blow-out.
“It’s just terrible how much rain we have had. Last weekend I was supposed to go away but then decided, no, I’m taking my horsebox and I’m going to drive to Pau to work them properly.
“Luckily, the jockeys were great and went along with my plan. They enjoyed a good gallop and are in good order.”
While Nabucco Al-Maury and Lacaro du Croate had to brave the difficult weather in France, Moshrif (FR), who is Thomas-Demeaulte’s runner in the $2 million group one Obaiya Arabian Classic, presented by Al-Hammadi Hospitals, has enjoyed the ambient temperatures in Riyadh.
“He has been in Riyadh for a while,” said the trainer. “We took him there for the prep race on Jan. 9, where he finished fifth. I hadn’t worked him a lot since he won his race in Morocco last year, so he wasn’t 100 percent fit yet, but it was still a good performance.”
The 8-year-old is a regular in Riyadh where he was the runner-up to the great Tilal Al-Khalediah in the 2024 running of the Al-Mneefah Cup, but this time he will tackle top-class opposition on dirt.
“He proved when ran in January that he can handle the dirt. He has been in Riyadh since that last run and I went out there 10 days ago to see how he was. He is in good form and I was very happy with him,” added Thomas-Demeaulte.
