"The Barcelona captain's situation has shifted notably since his appearance against Chelsea. From that point onward, the Dutch midfielder has been named on the bench in three of the six matches he was available for selection. Those numbers come after excluding the two games he missed earlier, first due to personal reasons and then because of a fever. While it is true that De Jong has completed the full 90 minutes in the last three official matches, context plays a crucial role here."
"The big question is whether De Jong drops back into a more secondary role or whether Flick opts to use him ahead of Eric Garcia in midfield. There is also another tactical wrinkle Flick may consider, as Garcia could be pushed back into defence, partnering Pau Cubarsi at centre-back. However, the current pairing involving Cubarsi and Gerard Martin has looked solid and well-drilled, which means making changes there is far from straightforward."
Frenkie de Jong faces uncertainty over a starting spot for the Spanish Super Cup semi-final as Barcelona’s midfield selection tightens. Since his Chelsea appearance, De Jong has been on the bench in three of six matches he was available for, excluding two absences for personal reasons and a fever. He completed 90 minutes in three recent matches, but one was a Copa del Rey game against Guadalajara and two occurred when Pedri was unavailable or not fully fit. Pedri is now fully recovered, giving Hansi Flick more midfield options. Flick must decide whether De Jong drops to a secondary role, starts ahead of Eric Garcia, or prompts a reshuffle that could see Garcia moved back into defence alongside Pau Cubarsi. The Cubarsi–Gerard Martin centre-back partnership has looked solid, complicating defensive changes.
Read at Barca Universal
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