The decline that FC Barcelona have shown in recent weeks is quite alarming. Beyond just having dropped from first place in La Liga, the Catalan giants are now struggling to win games. Moreover, the kind of dominance that Barcelona initially showed under Hansi Flick no longer seems to be there.
While there are several reasons behind this slump, including the team’s rather frustrating finishing in recent games, there are other complications as well. Certain players who are expected to perform at the highest level are simply not delivering the kind of performances that are expected from them.
One such case is that of Frenkie de Jong, the Dutch midfielder who many expected would have a prominent role this season after returning from his ankle injury. However, as highlighted by Mundo Deportivo, the Barcelona captain seems to already have lost a lot of importance under Hansi Flick this season.
The latest game against Atletico Madrid possibly proved that even further when the last substitution of the game is assessed. While taking off Marc Casado, who had a shaky game himself, Hansi Flick instructed the coaches to bring on Eric Garcia rather than Frenkie de Jong.
Instead of the Dutchman, someone who would typically be counted on to play as one of the two defensive midfielders, Flick entrusted Garcia to have some impact on the game. An out-of-favor defender was trusted to help save this game rather than the €60 million-rated midfielder who is also a team captain, and that paints a rather honest picture.
No longer seen as a game-changer, De Jong seems to have truly lost the trust of Hansi Flick this season the longer it goes on. With his contractual situation still up in the air, there is simply no telling what the future of the former Ajax star will be like.
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VITORIA-GASTEIZ, SPAIN - OCTOBER 06: Robert Lewandowski of FC Barcelona reacts during the LaLiga match between Deportivo Alaves and FC Barcelona at Estadio de Mendizorroza on October 06, 2024 in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain.
BARCELONA, SPAIN - SEPTEMBER 25: Raphinha and Ansu Fati of FC Barcelona warm up prior to the La Liga EA Sports match between FC Barcelona and Getafe CF at Camp Nou on September 25, 2024 in Barcelona, Spain.
MILAN, ITALY - SEPTEMBER 23: Marcel Marco van Basten attends The Best FIFA Football Awards 2019 at the Teatro Alla Scala on September 23, 2019 in Milan, Italy.
While he will be expected to play against UD Barbastro in the Copa del Rey, alongside other regular substitutes, this is hardly the kind of role that De Jong would have pictured for himself. Ultimately, that is now his reality, and he no longer seems to be a key component in Hansi Flick’s plans.