"Frenkie de Jong went box to box, and when his final ball was delivered, it was given to Ferran Torres on a sliver plater. The striker simply couldn't miss if he tried. And that's saying something, because just about every Barcelona forward and attacking midfielder misfired against Elche with open nets in front of them. Scoring goals is never easy, and one thing you can't do is force it."
"With Pedri out, Barcelona are going to depend on Frenkie being at his best to keep their lead at the top of the La Liga table. You could the ways that he influences the game. He doesn't score many goals himself, and for some of his critics that's a knock against him. In this particular system that Flick has created, he doesn't have to. His industry is what matter most."
Barcelona won on the road against Elche despite creating 30 shots and scoring only three. The offense operated as Hansi Flick intended, but the team wasted numerous clear chances that the coach will likely criticise. Frenkie de Jong covered every area of the pitch, making defensive interventions, carrying the ball forward and producing the decisive final pass to Ferran Torres. Ferran converted a gifted chance that highlighted finishing quality amid widespread misfiring from forwards and attacking midfielders. With Pedri injured, Barcelona will rely on Frenkie's industry, reading of the game and inventive play to maintain their La Liga lead.
Read at Barca Blaugranes
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