FC Barcelona had to start this 2024-25 season in somewhat difficult circumstances due to several absences caused by injuries. Some of the most important defenders and midfielders have missed a lot of games this season.
One such player who was expected to be an important component of this team, but was unable to be so was the Dutch midfielder, Frenkie de Jong. The Dutchman has now recovered from his ankle problem and has getting minutes in the last few games.
However, as SPORT has noted, Frenkie is yet to find his best position in the Barcelona team, as has been the case for the entirety of his career at the Blaugrana club, and his position in the team is getting increasingly uncomfortable.
The midfielder arrived at Barcelona with very high hopes, but he was unable to convince himself as a starting pivot even in the limelight of Sergio Busquets’ career.
Even Xavi, who had total confidence in the €60m-rated Dutchman, preferred Sergio Busquets as his starting pivot, and then after his departure, relied first on Oriol Romeu and then on Andreas Christensen.
Now, Flick has already publicly declared that Frenkie is going to be an important player for him. He has already made some appearances after his recovery from the ankle injury and put in an impressive shift as he was introduced in the second half of the game against Real Madrid.
However, when Flick substituted Marc Casado for him in the match against Espanyol last night, there was a clear decline in the team’s performance.
With Pedri and Marc Casado being the favorites for the defensive midfield positions, it does not look easy for Frenkie to be able to get back to being an undisputed starter for Flick.
This issue can also have an impact on his already uncertain future at the club, and the player might open up to an exit if he is unable to get a starting spot at Barcelona.
