Inter Milan's Special Mission to Capture Dembele

Not even a year has passed, and the sentiments of Paris Saint-Germain fans regarding the departure of striker Kylian Mbappe have already changed. The megastar once caused a collective heartbreak for the City of Paris when he left last summer, but that loss is now beginning to be celebrated.

For PSG, the loss of Mbappe is the best disaster they have ever experienced. How could it not be, the butterfly effect that occurred is quite surprising. Forward Ousmane Dembele, who has long been in the shadow of Mbappe, has instead become a more influential replacement.

There would be no current version of Dembele if Mbappe had not left. Head coach Luis Enrique changed Dembele's position from wing to center to fill the gap left by Mbappe. Abracadabra, Dembele, who often squandered opportunities, suddenly became a prolific goal scorer.

Mbappe left for Real Madrid with a contribution of 44 goals in a single season. Who would have thought that Dembele could produce 33 goals across all competitions this season? This number has already surpassed his total goals over the last five seasons, including during his time with Barcelona (2019-2023).

"Playing as a 'number 9' brings me closer to the goal," said Dembele when asked how the positional change drastically affected his performance. "When I get past one player, I am already in front of the goal and just need to focus on scoring," continued the 27-year-old player.

Interestingly, unlike Mbappe, Dembele's contribution goes beyond mere goals. He is central to Enrique's style of play. While many admire the fluidity of PSG's midfield in building attacks, Dembele plays a significant role in that.

The French national team player is indeed assigned as a central striker. However, on the field, he is given the freedom to move. He shifts from both wings to retreat into the midfield. When Dembele has already assisted in the center, it becomes very difficult to stop PSG's attack.

Arsenal is one of the best teams, if not the best, at pressing high against opponents when out of possession. When facing PSG in the Champions League semifinals, their traps were often breached. Dembele managed to disrupt the aggressive defensive system implemented by manager Mikel Arteta.

Dembele's crucial role was evident in the first match, when PSG visited the Emirates Stadium. PSG returned home with a 1-0 victory from London thanks to Dembele's goal in the 4th minute. Interestingly, the forward was both the executor and the architect of that goal.

Dembele retreated to the midfield to provide a passing option. The Arsenal defenders were unprepared. After receiving the ball and noticing the opponent's defense was open, Dembele passed to the wing. A few seconds later, he scored from a cross by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

Once might be a coincidence, but it is not if it happens repeatedly. Dembele did something almost similar when scoring against Liverpool in the round of 16 at Anfield Stadium. He also orchestrated his own opportunity from the midfield, then executed it himself in the penalty area.

The difference is that Dembele slowed down his pace when scoring against Arsenal. Instead of entering the penalty area, which was already crowded with players, he waited and shot from outside the penalty area. In contrast, for the goal against Liverpool, he ran towards the goal to receive a cross from Bradley Barcola.

Dembele's greatest strength is not his powerful shot, goal instinct, or quick sprint, but rather his intelligence. He has a profound understanding of space and time, allowing him to position himself effectively. This quality is also what led Enrique to grant him the freedom to move.

The player, who was purchased by Barca for 135 million euros, is very difficult to read because he does not have a weak foot. He can use both his left and right foot equally well. Just look at his shooting statistics in the Champions League, with 24 shots taken with his right foot and 36 with his left foot.

According to Enrique, there is a special approach in Dembele's metamorphosis. He focuses on other aspects that the player can contribute. "We are not looking for a goal scorer (in him) because that would impose pressure. We are more inclined to make him a problem (for other teams)," he said.

Dembele's metamorphosis is one of the biggest factors in PSG's success this season, including reaching the Champions League final. He has contributed 12 goals in the tournament (8 goals and 4 assists). This number sets a new club record for a single season of competition.

Dembele remains an enigma that opposing teams of PSG have yet to solve. He will once again pose a similar problem in the upcoming Champions League final. Inter Milan must prepare a strategy to contain Dembele if they wish to return home with the "Big Ears" trophy.

Inter, with a 3-5-2 formation, has the flexibility to pressure Dembele. One of the three central defenders can closely mark Dembele aggressively up to the midfield. Such a defensive approach was employed when Inter eliminated Barcelona in the semifinals.

The strategy employed by coach Simone Inzaghi yielded two outcomes simultaneously. In addition to halting the opponent's attacks, they were also able to initiate counter-attack transitions from that situation. Essentially, Inter's life will be easier if they can contain Dembele throughout the match. The same applies in reverse. (AP/REUTERS)