LA LIGA

FC Barcelona manager talks about Frenkie De Jong

FC Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez made some interesting comments after the game against Villareal. Following a couple of weeks of tumultuous results in the league and the crashing out of the Champions League, it looked to have hit the reset button of the squad. Fingers were pointed at everyone from Xavi to the players. But the ones pointed at Busquets were the most objective.

Busquets has been a great player for the club. But he has aged, and with it, his intensity to complete the match vanished. One thing that Barcelona needs desperately is a successor to Busquets. Considering the importance of the position to the way FC Barcelona plays, any player has to fit right in.

FC Barcelona manager Xavi talks about playing DE Jong in the pivot role

This was when Xavi decided to tweak things a bit against Villareal. The manager started Frenkie De Jong in the pivot role. And not a single complaint was raised after the full-time whistle. FC Barcelona won the game 3-0, but it was near about perfect display by Frenkie that took everyone by surprise.

“Frenkie was very good. He really enjoyed the game. He understood it very well, and he played a very complete game. I’m happy for him.”

De Jong, 25, touched the ball 93 times during his 70 minutes on the field and had a 95% completion percentage, completing 75 of 79 passes. Additionally, he had a perfect record for both dribbles and crosses.

De Jong’s defensive prowess wasn’t overlooked either; he earned five tackles, made one interception, and recovered the ball eight times for his team. The Dutch international also triumphed in both of his one aerial duels and all nine of his ground fights.

Busquets ultimately took De Jong’s place in the 70th minute, and the Camp Nou crowd gave him a standing ovation as a token of their thanks.

Follow our Twitter for regular football news and updates.

For more football updates, make sure to follow us on:



Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

To Top