Barcelona news: ‘Ousmane Dembele skipped training after playing video games all night’

Dembele has been treading on thin ice recently in Catalonia.

The French star was omitted by Ernesto Valverde from the Barcelona squad for the shock defeat against Real Betis.

This was because the 21-year-old failed to turn up for training in the week prior to the match.

According to Eurosport, the fourth most expensive player in the world was ill but could not inform his club because his phone battery died.

Now the saga has taken another twist. Spanish outlet AS report that Dembele missed training after staying up playing video games all night with his friends.

The former Borussia Dortmund reportedly lost track of time and played late into the night, forgetting to set his alarm for the morning.

Barcelona delegate Carles Naval finally got hold of Dembele at 11:30am on the morning he was supposed to arrive at 11am.

Now Barca are increasingly concerned about the attitude and approach of Dembele.

They signed the winger for £135.5m back in August 2017, but he’s now on his last chance.

Valverde recently said of his player: “I have not lost patience with him, he has a special talent and we have to help him.”

Gerard Pique also added: “We have to help him so that he realises that football is a 24 hour day job.”

France boss Didier Deschamps is also aware of the problems Dembele is creating for himself in Spain.

He spoke openly after selecting him for his France squad for the current international break.

“I haven’t talk with the staff of Barcelona because I don’t interfere in the daily business of clubs,” he said in his press conference.

“It’s their responsibility and it’s up to them to manage their players, on and off the field.

“Ousmane has been with us for a while. That’s his usual trick to be late, but in his defence, I’m sure he’ll say: ‘I’m not the only one.’

“Whether at a big club like Barcelona, in the French national team or elsewhere, he has to pay attention to that.

“It’s part of the life and requirements of a professional footballer.”