Barcelona Manager Xavi ‘Very Happy’ with Rejuvenated Dembele

Ousmane Dembele of FC Barcelona controls the ball during the second half of a preseason friendly against Inter Miami CF at DRV PNK Stadium on July 19, 2022 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. (Getty Images/AFP)
Ousmane Dembele of FC Barcelona controls the ball during the second half of a preseason friendly against Inter Miami CF at DRV PNK Stadium on July 19, 2022 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. (Getty Images/AFP)
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Barcelona Manager Xavi ‘Very Happy’ with Rejuvenated Dembele

Ousmane Dembele of FC Barcelona controls the ball during the second half of a preseason friendly against Inter Miami CF at DRV PNK Stadium on July 19, 2022 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. (Getty Images/AFP)
Ousmane Dembele of FC Barcelona controls the ball during the second half of a preseason friendly against Inter Miami CF at DRV PNK Stadium on July 19, 2022 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. (Getty Images/AFP)

Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez said forward Ousmane Dembele is a player reborn after the France international scored twice in the LaLiga club's 2-2 pre-season draw with Serie A side Juventus on Tuesday at the Cotton Bowl stadium in Dallas, Texas.

Dembele opened the scoring in the 34th minute with a fine solo effort, dribbling past Juan Cuadrado and Alex Sandro before drilling a fierce shot past goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, but his goal was cancelled out by Moise Kean's equaliser in the 39th minute.

Dembele immediately restored Barcelona's lead, scoring his second just a minute later, only for Kean to once again draw Juventus level with a second-half strike.

Speaking after the match, Xavi lavished praise on the 25-year-old Dembele, who has struggled to make an impact since joining Barcelona in 2017, saying he has shown a marked improvement in the eight months since Xavi took charge in November last year.

"He has shown what he is capable of. He is different, special. There are not many of this type," Xavi told reporters on Tuesday. "He gives us a lot with the way we play.

"Not everyone has the ability to make a difference in the world of soccer and he does. He is involved and he shows it. I don't know the Dembele from before November, I don't know him. I am very happy with this one."

Barcelona, who finished second in LaLiga last season, kick off their league campaign at home to Rayo Vallecano on Aug. 13.



Krejcikova Out of Indian Wells, Miami with Back Issue 

Czech Republic's Barbora Krejcikova celebrates with the trophy after winning the French Open women's singles title against Russia's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Paris, France, June 12, 2021. (AFP)
Czech Republic's Barbora Krejcikova celebrates with the trophy after winning the French Open women's singles title against Russia's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Paris, France, June 12, 2021. (AFP)
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Krejcikova Out of Indian Wells, Miami with Back Issue 

Czech Republic's Barbora Krejcikova celebrates with the trophy after winning the French Open women's singles title against Russia's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Paris, France, June 12, 2021. (AFP)
Czech Republic's Barbora Krejcikova celebrates with the trophy after winning the French Open women's singles title against Russia's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Paris, France, June 12, 2021. (AFP)

Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova has withdrawn from next month's tournaments at Indian Wells and Miami due to a back injury that has kept her out of action since November.

The world number 16, a surprise champion at the All England Club last year, sustained the injury during the Tour's Asian swing of tournaments and appeared hampered by it at the WTA Finals in Riyadh, where she reached the semi-finals.

The 29-year-old Czech skipped the Australian Open Grand Slam in January, saying she needed more time for her injury to heal.

Austria's Julia Grabher will take Krejcikova's place in the main draw at Indian Wells, which begins on March 5, organizers said. The Miami tournament kicks off on March 18.