Dembélé back in action after 164 days
The NSC Olimpiyskiy stadium in Kyiv saw a special return on Match Day 4 of the Champions league in the fixture between Dynamo Kyiv and FC Barcelona. Some 164 days after his last game for Barça against Eibar on 22 May, Ousmane Dembélé was back in action for the blaugranes.
After recovering from the knee injury he picked up in the summer playing for France in Euro 2020, Dembélé came on in the 65th minute of the 1-0 win to replace Gavi.
The Frenchman made an immediate on the game showing his pace on several of his trademark mazy runs.
First appearance of the season
Dembélé injured his knee in a game between France and Hungary at the Euro 2020 tournament and underwent surgery in Finland at the end of June.
Last season, 2020/21, the winger played a total of 44 matches, scoring 11 goals.
First game as the numer ‘7’
Dembélé returned to action in Kyiv with Sergi Barjuan as coach and made his first appearance in the number 7 shirt left vacant following the departure of Antoine Griezmann. Since joining the club in 2017 Dembélé had previously worn the number 11 shirt.