FC Barcelona, similar to many other top European sides, relies on acquiring world-class talents for progress. However, beyond just the many elites within the team, there are also those who typically do not see themselves getting labeled in that same bracket of superstars.
One such player is Spanish midfielder Oriol Romeu. The former Girona leader is now one of the pieces of Xavi’s chessboard at FC Barcelona. His previous history with La Masia was one of the deciding factors in making him the chosen one that Barcelona now relies upon for the season.
However, his performances have arguably gone from great to worse as the campaign progressed. The Catalan giants have felt much more vulnerable with Romeu as the sole pivot in recent games. Yet, the Spaniard, as well as the rest of Barça, may be in for some good news.
According to AS, the return of Frenkie De Jong should uplift both the collective and individual performances at Barcelona. The Dutchman was previously injured and his absence has left Barcelona in a very complicated position. Struggling to control games as they did with him, Barça are eagerly awaiting his official return.
However, perhaps no one is awaiting the Dutchman’s return more than Oriol Romeu. Whenever De Jong and Romeu have been paired together in the past, that is when the latter has managed to shine the brightest.
De Jong’s creativity and individual talent is often enough to progress the ball through enemy lines. This progressive trait allowed the likes of Romeu to focus on their defensive tasks while also having the Dutchman take on some of his burdens.
Moreover, with Frenkie in the team, Barcelona often managed to retain possession fluidly in the opposition’s half. This further allowed Romeu some comfort, as the opponents could not exploit his obvious lack of speed and problems with tracking back.
For now, it is expected that Frenkie De Jong will be back in the squad for the upcoming game. While the partnerships with Gavi and Ilkay Gundogan have been inconsistent, Romeu’s partnership with De Jong has been quite fruitful.
The two midfielders have previously taken on challenges together on six occasions this season. Their record of five wins and a draw across those six games is impressive by itself. Moreover, it remains a testament to their complimentary profiles.
