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Copa del Rey | Fifth Round
Jan 4, 2018 at 6pm UK
 
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1-1

Sisto (31')
FT(HT: 1-1)
Arnaiz (15')

Ernesto Valverde: 'Barcelona must ease in Ousmane Dembele'

:Headline: Ernesto Valverde: 'Barcelona must ease in Ousmane Dembele': ID:315545: from db_amp
Ernesto Valverde explains that he deliberately used Ousmane Dembele in a central position against Celta Vigo to 'release him of defensive obligations'.

Barcelona boss Ernesto Valverde has revealed that he played Ousmane Dembele in a central-attacking position against Celta Vigo in an attempt to ease the forward back into action.

The £135m summer signing from Borussia Dortmund was given a 20-minute runout in Thursday's Copa del Rey last-16 tie, 110 days after last featuring for his new side.

Dembele picked up a hamstring injury on his first La Liga start for the Catalan giants and has been made to wait for his comeback, which came at Balaidos in the 1-1 first-leg draw.

Rather than stick the Frenchman out wide, though, Valverde instead played him in the role usually associated with the rested Luis Suarez.

"It was so that he could play in a position where he was released of defensive obligations, which were a bit stressful at that time of the match," Valverde told reporters.

"When we know that this was the first game of this player after almost four months without playing, I preferred that he be in a position where he can gradually get used to the game.

"We must take into account that the pace of a whole match against a first division team. For Ousmane, it would have been excessive."

Dembele is now in contention to feature in Barca's home league match against Levante on Sunday afternoon.

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1Barcelona14111242142834
2Atletico MadridAtletico148512181329
3Real Madrid1283125111427
4Villarreal127322319424
5GironaGirona146352018221
6Mallorca146351312121
7Osasuna136341720-321
8Athletic Bilbao135531913620
9Real BetisBetis145541616020
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11Celta Vigo145362224-218
12Rayo Vallecano124441313016
13Sevilla134361218-615
14Leganes133551316-314
15Getafe142751011-113
16AlavesAlaves144191524-913
17Las PalmasLas Palmas143381825-712
18Valencia122461219-710
19Espanyol133191226-1410
20Real ValladolidValladolid142391027-179
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