It is truly absurd to see FC Barcelona struggling as much as they are this season. There have been worse days for the Catalan giants, but there have also been far greater days as well. However, at the end of the day, this current Barcelona team hardly has the depth to compete it seems.
Without a proper holding midfielder to balance the field, and various unfortunate injuries also coming up on top of that, Barça have been dealt quite the bad hand this season. However, despite their ups and downs, one thing has remained consistent.
Whatever may be the case or the occasion, Dutch midfielder Frenkie De Jong has been one constant for Xavi Hernandez. Irrespective of the inconsistencies of others, the Dutchman has been a guarantee for the Barcelona coach, as highlighted by SPORT.
He suffered an injury against Celta Vigo back in September that kept him sidelined for quite some time. However, since his return against Rayo Vallecano, De Jong has been unstoppable. The 26-year-old has played every game to the maximum since then. Only two occasions saw him left out, but the reasons were unique.
Against Royal Antwerp in a rather insignificant Champions League clash, De Jong was absent due to a fever. Then, against Almeria, he could not play due to an accumulation of yellow cards. Apart from those two occasions, however, the Dutchman has been an absolute for Xavi.
Even in the friendly against Club America, one in which he could have easily been rested, he participated. In the latest encounter against Unionistas, moreover, De Jong was once again started. In a game where veterans like Ilkay Gundogan and Robert Lewandowski were rested, the former Ajax midfielder was still there.
He is a captain of the team this season, and his commitment reflects that perfectly. While his time at Barcelona may not have gone as smoothly as he would have hoped, he remains loyal to the badge.
Beyond everything else, while others are rested or remain unavailable due to physical problems, Xavi can continue to rely on arguably his most consistent captain.
