Barcelona midfielder Frenkie De Jong was subbed off during the game against Valencia due to hamstring fatigue, as confirmed by the club’s manager Xavi. The Dutch international has been a key player for Barcelona since his arrival in 2019. In his absence will be a major blow to the team’s hopes of success this season.
De Jong joined Barcelona from Ajax Amsterdam in the summer of 2019 for a fee of around €75 million. He was regarded as one of the brightest young talents. In European football at the time and has lived up to his billing with some outstanding performances in a Barcelona shirt.
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De Jong’s versatility has been a key asset for Barcelona, as he can play in a variety of midfield positions. He has been used as a defensive midfielder, a box-to-box midfielder, and even as a central defender on occasion. His ability to read the game, make interceptions, and start attacks from deep. It has made him an invaluable member of the Barcelona squad.
Why was Frenkie De Jong was substituted
However, De Jong has struggled with injuries this season, which has limited his playing time. He missed a few games earlier in the season due to a calf injury. Now he has now been forced to sit out due to hamstring fatigue. This has been a major concern for Barcelona, as they have already lost several key players to injury this season.
Speaking after the game against Valencia, Xavi confirmed that De Jong was taken off due to hamstring fatigue. He stated that the decision was made as a precautionary measure. As they did not want to risk aggravating the injury further. Xavi also expressed his disappointment at the injury, as he acknowledged the importance of De Jong to the team.
“De Jong is an important player for us and it’s never good to lose a player of his caliber. However, we have to be cautious with him and make sure he is fully fit before he returns to action. We will assess his injury in the coming days and make a decision on his availability for the next game,” Xavi said.
