Former Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has defended the signing of Ousmane Dembele.

Dembele's time with Barca has been plagued by injury.

Bartomeu said, "It did not work? Dembélé was unlucky, he's a great player and I hope that now, after another injury, he will show his qualities.

"In 2020, after the 'no' to Ansu's departure, an English club asked us to sign Dembélé for more than what we paid for him. But we were counting on him. And in January 2018 we signed (Philippe) Coutinho, one of the best in the Premier League and for circumstances that I'm not familiar with he didn't do as we wanted and as he did in the Premier League and in his national team.

"Hopefully he will be able to bring out this quality this year."