Former Barcelona defender reveals funny anecdotes involving Ousmane Dembele | OneFootball

Barcelona have undergone significant changes in the last few years. Players once heralded with high hopes, such as Ousmane Dembele and Samuel Umtiti, have parted ways with the club.

Umtiti, once considered among the finest centre-backs, saw his career hindered by injuries, diminishing him from his former stature.

Now reflecting on his Barcelona tenure, the 30-year-old has shared intriguing anecdotes about his former French compatriot, Ousmane Dembele.

Umtiti’s perspective on Dembele’s early days

Umtiti recalls how Ousmane Dembele looked up to him like a father figure when they were both in Barcelona.

Dembele often arrived late to training, sometimes not even realizing his mistakes, which led to confusion among the staff and teammates.

“When Ousmane arrived at Barça, they took me as his father. When I arrived late, people came to see me and it was something funny.

“Ousmane has a good heart, but he didn’t notice things. There was a board with the morning schedules and once he turned up in the afternoon without wanting to,” Umtiti remarked via SPORT.

Umtiti and Dembele shared a close bond at Barça. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images)

“Also, he came angry because he made a mistake. People didn’t understand anything, but he was absent-minded,” he added.

Despite their close friendship, Umtiti revealed that he was unaware of Dembele’s wedding and the winger casually affirmed it as if it were insignificant news.

“It was a winter holiday and I saw on social media that he had gotten married. We were together every day and he never said anything to me, so I didn’t believe him.

“When I saw him again I asked him: ‘Brother, how come you’re getting married and not telling me anything?’ He replied that yes, he had gotten married. He said it like someone who says he’s going to the bakery,” he said.

Last summer, Barcelona announced the mutual termination of Umtiti’s contract, originally set to run until the 2025/26 season.

However, his debut season under Luis Enrique is still fondly remembered to this day, as he showcased immense potential before injuries came his way.