Ousmane Dembele was brought in by Barcelona last August to replace departed star Neymar. He was the second costliest player ever at the time. However, the French youth sensation has had anything but a good start in Spain.
He made only 14 starts for Barcelona in all competitions and there were various reasons for it. Injuries have been a big problem as he endured a lengthy layoff due to a hamstring problem in 2017. Coach Ernesto Valverde has not favoured him either, using him as a substitute many times when fit.
Dembele has shown glimpses of his mercurial talent and he will hope to do the same in Russia. He did not fulfill the lofty expectations in Catalonia but a brilliant World Cup campaign could render that irrelevant.