Frenkie de Jong tells Barcelona: 'I belong in that team' as substitute spell begins
De Jong ready to fight for his place after long injury lay-off
Frenkie de Jong has made his position clear: he intends to reclaim a regular starting role at Barcelona and will not settle for a seat on the bench. Speaking to Ziggo Sport after returning to full fitness from a knee injury, the Dutchman delivered a blunt message about his standing in Hansi Flick's side.
“I think I belong in that team and I feel I can play there. Who I play with doesn’t matter too much to me,” De Jong said. “No, and I don’t want to get used to that. But of course I understand the current situation, especially after a long absence from the pitch. I know the return has to be gradual, and that I’m not going to start matches right away, but in the long run I want to play consistently. My goal is to get back into the starting eleven as soon as possible.”
The 27-year-old midfielder is still waiting for his first minutes of the season at Barcelona. He has been eased back into contention following the knee problem that kept him out for the opening months of the campaign, and while he accepts a gradual reintegration, his ambition is unmistakable.
A crowded midfield battle
De Jong’s path back into the XI is far from straightforward. He returned to full training earlier this month, but faced a fierce fight for minutes in Flick’s midfield, with Barcelona having won all eight matches before the international break. The club also strengthened centrally in the summer with the arrival of Rodri from Manchester City, and a Catalunya Radio poll published on October 9 found that 80% of fans believed De Jong no longer had a place at the club.
His potential role has even been the subject of experimentation. On October 13, it was reported that Flick had tried De Jong at centre-back in training as the midfielder neared his return, a switch framed as a possibility rather than a firm plan given the greater depth in midfield than in central defence.
De Jong, however, remains focused on the collective quality around him. “I think we have a lot of quality, especially from a technical point of view. Almost all the players have a very high level in the fundamentals of football, and that gives the team a great advantage,” he said.
Real Madrid test awaits
De Jong is not expected to start against Real Madrid on Sunday but may get some minutes off the bench at Camp Nou. For a player adamant that he belongs in the team, the visit of Barcelona’s great rivals could provide the ideal stage to begin his push for a regular return.