Barcelona winger Ousmane Dembele is set to return against Atletico Madrid from his injury this weekend. The winger has missed 13 games since suffering a hamstring injury in January, but he is back in training this week, giving the club a big boost in their La Liga title aspirations. Xavi wants to use him in what might be a pivotal match at the Nou Camp, with Barcelona looking to increase their lead at the top of the table to 14 points. Barcelona has maintained their league form without Dembele, but his absence has hampered them, particularly striker Robert Lewandowski, and they were knocked out of the Copa del Rey earlier this month by Real Madrid.
With Dembele on the field, Lewandowski has scored 22 goals in 23 games this season, for a 0.96 goal-per-match ratio, while without him, he has only scored five goals in 13 games (0.38pg). The Spanish press feels Dembele is the key to unlocking Lewandowski’s finest form, as he has personally helped three of the Polish forward’s goals while setting up two for Dembele. Two of their teammates who have been injured in recent weeks, Pedri and Frenkie de Jong, have returned to training this week and are expected to play on Sunday evening.
Dembele has been called the ‘assist king’ in Spain following his return to form under Xavi at the conclusion of last season and in the first part of his current contract. Ousmane Dembele has eight goals and seven assists this season in all competitions, and 40 and 41 for Barcelona since signing in 2017. Apart from Alejandro Balde (3), Dembele has scored more goals for Lewandowski this season than any other Barcelona player. This season, Lewandowski has supplied Dembele with the most assists (2).
Lewandowski averages 0.96 goals per game when Dembele is around. Lewandowski’s strike rate lowers to 0.38 goals per game without Dembele. In 23 games, Lewandowski’s xG with Dembele is 16.08. It is 6.78 goals in the same number of games without Dembele. Lewandowski + Ousmane = 1.13 chances per game. Without Ousmane, Lewandowski creates 0.92 chances.
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