Paris Saint-Germain’s Ousmane Dembele starts 2025 in decisive form as massive Champions League matchups loom

PARIS — Ousmane Dembele has started 2025 as he means to continue, with three goals across two games for Paris Saint-Germain’s first trophy of the new year, as well as a continued seven-point lead at the Championnat summit ahead of Olympique de Marseille. The France international scored the only goal of the game as Luis Enrique’s side edged AS Monaco 1-0 to win the Trophee des Champions in Qatar before scoring both in a 2-1 success for PSG at home to AS Saint-Etienne on Sunday.

Dembele and Les Parisiens left it late against Les Monegasques to claim victory in Doha, but struck early against Les Verts to ensure that Eirik Horneland’s determined visitors were unable to come away from Parc des Princes with anything. The former Barcelona man’s finish against Monaco was straightforward enough — although you can never be sure of anything in front of goal with the Frenchman — but his opener against Saint-Etienne was an excellent left-footed effort coming in from wide on the right before converting a penalty.

“Yes, it was an important win to keep our distance at the Ligue 1 summit,” said Dembele postgame. “We did not make things easy for ourselves at the end of the game. They were pushing and playing their game which was not to defend. We had a fair bit of space and I think that we could have scored two or three more goals. We are happy with the three points. No, this is not a new version of me — I have always been like this. Now that things are taking shape, it is good and we will try to keep going like this.”

There is no doubt that Dembele is PSG’s man of 2025 so far after just two games and that is encouraging news for head coach Luis Enrique who knows that his team face some challenging assignments in the coming weeks — notably Manchester City at home in the UEFA Champions League. The 27-year-old came into his own in the latter stages of last season in Europe — notably over two legs against Barca — and the Spanish tactician will be hoping for more of that against City and VfB Stuttgart to advance from the league phase.

“It is important for us and ideal when a player like Ousmane scores two goals,” said Luis Enrique postgame after seeing his team allow Zuriko Davitashvili to score a superb free kick to make Paris sweat their win in the second half in the capital. “I think of all the players in the team, though, as we are a team. The most important thing is that we are all together and that is important to me.”

Such a focused Dembele is a huge boost considering the difficulties across the first half of the campaign with the likes of the former Stade Rennais man which contributed towards their slow start in the UCL when he was left out for the defeat away at Arsenal because of a late arrival for training ahead of the game. Extend his form across the last five games and he has six goals from those outings and braces against Monaco and Saint-Etienne as well as single-goal hauls against ASM and Olympique Lyonnais.

With Dembele showing his big game appetite and Luis Enrique carefully managing the minutes of some of his star players ahead of five more games this month and a possibly packed February which could also include Champions League knockout soccer, PSG have momentum on their side. Whether that will be enough against City and Stuttgart will not depend solely upon Dembele, but he is capable of changing games and making the difference for Paris and he is showing lately that he is ready to do so when his team needs him most.