Xavi believes Frenkie de Jong is one of the world’s best midfielders and Barcelona’s players’ performances do not get the credit they deserve.
- Barca boss Xavi defends his players
- Says they don’t get the credit they deserve
- Hails De Jong as ‘world class’
WHAT HAPPENED? Barcelona won last season’s La Liga with a 10-point cushion over bitter rivals Real Madrid. Dutchman De Jong played 43 times for the Spanish giants last term but manager Xavi believes he and his team-mates do not get the plaudits they deserve at times.
WHAT THEY SAID: He said, via Eldesmarque: “Barça has the ability to underestimate everything. If the player is an eight, they give him a six. If he is a 10, they give him an eight. The Barça footballer has to be very strong mentally. We try to give them confidence. Frenkie is one of the best midfielders in the world.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: De Jong joined Barcelona from Ajax in 2019 for an initial fee of £64.9 million ($79.5m) and has gone onto play 190 times for the club, scoring 16 goals in the process. The 26-year-old, who has been a long-term target of Manchester United, has proven to be a good signing for Barca over the years and Xavi, who become the club’s manager in late 2021, feels he should be held in higher esteem. Perhaps because this is not a vintage Barcelona side, with the club only winning La Liga, Copa de Rey and Supercopa de Espana during the Dutch international’s stay at Camp Nou, De Jong is not seen as one of the greats of the game.
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WHAT NEXT? Barcelona, who are one point behind first-placed Real Madrid in the league, face Granada on Sunday.
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