Flick, de Jong’s time at Barcelona has not gone as smoothly as he and the club had hoped. After returning from a lengthy injury layoff, the Dutch midfielder has struggled to establish a regular berth in the starting eleven.
This is partly owing to the success of Marc Casado, who has impressed under manager Hansi Flick.
As a result, SPORT reports that Flick faces a task in dealing with the situation with de Jong. When he took over as Barcelona’s coach last summer, one of his primary goals was to assist the Dutchman regain his peak form.
After more than 150 days on the sidelines, de Jong made his comeback, but he still hasn’t convinced Flick that he should be a regular starter.
While evaluating his performances can be subjective, there are strong indications that de Jong is not at his best.
No place for De Jong.
Despite this, Flick continued to believe in de Jong, seeing his potential and the value he can provide to the squad. However, with additional alternatives accessible to him, things may change.
Barcelona’s midfield is looking packed. The return of Fermin Lopez and Gavi has given the club new impetus, particularly in pushing higher up the field.
Casado has developed as a significant player, serving as an effective metronome in the holding position. Pedri has rediscovered his form and is more creative than ever, but Dani Olmo’s attacking midfield abilities have yet to be completely realised.
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Furthermore, Pablo Torre has made his presence known, even passing de Jong in the pecking order during the encounter against Brest.
Fans are unhappy as well.
With seven midfielders contending for only three places, the battle for playing time is fierce. To make matters worse, de Jong’s performances are causing frustration at home.
The question now is whether Barcelona should continue to rely on de Jong for crucial minutes, or if it is time for him to stand back and play a supporting role.
The forthcoming encounter versus Las Palmas could be the next episode in this continuing storyline.
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