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Frenkie de Jong has gone from being a guaranteed starter with all FC Barcelona coaches to being relegated to the bench during his sixth season at the club.
This season he has played 15 games after recovering from an ankle injury, but has struggled to regain his competitive edge, even being directly responsible for some of the team’s setbacks.
With early rotations against Real Betis tonight following the intense Spanish Super Cup, De Jong may get another chance, either as a starter or coming off the bench in the second half.
This could be his last chance to prove himself as an important player or risk becoming simply a backup option, especially as he only has a year and a half left on his contract with Barcelona.
Not taking advantage of your opportunities
Hansi Flick has been trying every way possible to get the Dutch midfielder back to his best, but De Jong has yet to show the competitive form needed to secure a regular place.
In Saudi Arabia he wasted another opportunity during the 17 minutes he played against Athletic Club in the Super Cup semi-final.
After playing the full 90 minutes in Barbastro, Flick brought on the Dutch international to secure a 2-0 victory against Athletic.
However, the midfielder put the result in danger with a bad turnover that led to Iñaki Williams’ goal. It was stopped by the VAR, which detected a previous touch by Álvaro Djaló, sanctioning the play as offside.
Once again, De Jong’s performance in this key moment fell far short.
More failures than successes
The 27-year-old’s return after a long injury layoff has not been easy. His only league start was against Real Sociedad, a match that Barça lost 1-0. He played only half of that game before being withdrawn again due to ankle discomfort.
There have been some quality moments, such as his performance against Mallorca, where he scored and assisted a goal each, while also helping Barça to a 4-0 victory against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu in October.
However, De Jong’s return has had more failures than successes.
Two defensive failures stand out in particular, which were costly for Barcelona. At the Benito Villamarín, against Real Betis, the midfielder committed a clumsy penalty by stepping on Vítor Roque, which caused the tie and cost Barça two points.
Another two points slipped away at Balaídos when De Jong failed to react during Celta Vigo’s late equaliser. When Hugo Álvarez beat Héctor Fort and scored, the former Ajax player remained passive, offering no support, much to the frustration of his teammate.
The situation has reached a point where there is growing concern within the blaugrana dressing room on De Jong’s form and attitude.
Running out of opportunities
De Jong’s chances for redemption are diminishing. The Copa del Rey could give him another chance to shine, but failing to perform at the required level could seal his fate.
Upcoming matches against Getafe and Valencia in La Liga, as well as Benfica and Atalanta in the Champions League, mark critical moments in January.
If the Dutchman does not take the step forward this Wednesday in Montjuïc, his role in the team could be even more diminished.
