Ousmane Dembélé stood out in PSG's 5-0 thrashing of rivals Marseille, not only for his performance but also for alleged provocations towards Leonardo Balerdi. The Parisian forward scored twice in the first half and was one of the stars of a night that turned into a celebration for the home team. However, his performance was not limited to what he did with the ball at his feet. According to the channel Ligue 1 +, which holds the broadcasting rights for the French league, Dembélé reportedly taunted Marseille defender Leonardo Balerdi during a conversation with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg. 'Balerdi is terrible, you know! He’s always running his mouth, you know!' These were the words attributed to the PSG player by Ligue 1 +, according to RMC Sport, although the released images do not audibly confirm what was said. This is not the first time there has been controversy between Balerdi and a PSG player: Nuno Mendes and the Argentine have a recent history, with the center-back provoking the Portuguese, who responded in the previous match between the two clubs, where the Parisians won the French Super Cup final. This incident comes at a particularly delicate moment for Marseille, which is facing a turbulent phase. The team suffered an unexpected elimination in the UEFA Champions League, was defeated in the classic match, and in the early hours of Tuesday to Wednesday, the dismissal of coach De Zerbi was announced.
Nuno Mendes PSG remains central to this story.
Nuno Mendes PSG remains central to this story.
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