Ousmane Dembele behaviour is damaging Dortmund - Gonzalo Castro

Published on: 18 August 2017

Dortmund manager Peter Bosz vows to focus only on the players in his squad while Ousmane Dembele remains on strike. Raf Honigstein suggests Ousmane Dembele moving to Barcelona is no guarantee, and explains Dortmund's looming predicament.

Borussia Dortmund midfielder Gonzalo Castro has accused Ousmane Dembele of "damaging our team."

Dembele, 20, a target for Barcelona, went on strike last week and was suspended by Dortmund after missing training without permission.

On Wednesday, Barca claimed they were nearing a deal for the France international, but Dortmund CEO Watzke, speaking to kicker, has denied that is the case.

The magazine also claimed there had been no contact between the clubs in the past week.

On Friday, Castro told Bild: "He was always there, he played an outstanding season. And all of a sudden, he doesn't show up for training.

"We were shocked -- it was new to us. I've never experienced anything like this.

"You can be sure that [if Dembele were to return] we'd tell him quite clearly that you can't act like that and that his behaviour is damaging the team."

However, Castro added that people "shouldn't forget that he's only 20" and said: "We don't know who is behind his actions or who leads him.

"What I know from my own experience is that I was not able to make every decision on my own when I was 20. But it's also clear that there are contracts and the club stands above everything."

Meanwhile, former BVB player and coach Matthias Sammer has told Die Welt he is "worried about what is happening at Dortmund."

"The club's big strengths -- the family spirit, the togetherness, the club's aura -- are in danger," he said.

"Those things which make Dortmund strong are damaged. It's incredibly different for the hierarchy.

"I can't understand anyone who has any sympathy for a player who does not show up for training. That's a no-go."

Meanwhile, BVB full-back Erik Durm, 25, is set to leave for Stuttgart, according to multiple reports in Germany. 

Stephan Uersfeld is the Germany correspondent for ESPN FC. Follow him on Twitter @uersfeld.

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Source: espn.co.uk

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