The war of words escalated between Barcelona and Ousmane Dembele, as the French international announced in an official statement that he "will not succumb to blackmail" by the club.
FC Barcelona director Mateu Alemany said the player should leave the club "as soon as possible" after refusing to sign the new deal offered to him.
He was then left out of Barcelona's squad for tonight's King's Cup Round of 16 match against Athletic Bilbao.
But in an official statement via his Instagram account, Dembele said: “For four years, rumors have been accumulating about me and they have shamefully lied with the sole aim of doing me harm. Was this a mistake? I'm sure about that".
“From today I will respond honestly, without succumbing to any kind of blackmail. I am 24 years old and like every man I have flaws. I've had a hard time with injuries. I have been affected by the Corona pandemic.”
“Without many training sessions I was always there without complaint when the coach called me. I have always done my job to the best of my ability because it is my passion.”
Dembele reacted angrily to the suggestion that he was not committed to the Barcelona sporting project before his contract expired over the next six months.
"I forbid anyone to think that I am not involved in the sports project," he said. I forbid anyone to ascribe to me intentions I did not have before. I forbid anyone to speak on my behalf or on behalf of my agent, in whom I have complete confidence.”
“I am still under contract, I am fully involved and at the disposal of my team and coach. I have always given everything for my teammates. I am not a man who cheats but I am not a man who is used to giving in to blackmail.”
Earlier, the French Football Federation backed Dembele and warned Barcelona against freezing the player because he will not sign a new contract.
The federation issued a statement saying: “It is true that a professional football player does not have the [automatic] right to be selected to be on the team for all matches but he has the right to be treated like his teammates.”
"If the situation [the exclusion] could be understood as pressure on him [to sign a new deal, or to leave] as well as having public statements acknowledging that kind of pressure, we would be dealing with an illegal action by the club."
The statement added: "We consider that failure to reach an agreement to renew the employment contract does not constitute a breach of the job."
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