Now or never – Barcelona midfielder running out of chances to stay relevant in Flick’s plans | OneFootball

Frenkie de Jong has transitioned from being a guaranteed starter under every manager at FC Barcelona to finding himself relegated to the bench during his sixth season at the club.

This campaign, he has appeared in 15 matches after recovering from an ankle injury, but he has struggled to regain his competitive edge, even being directly responsible for some of the team’s setbacks.

With anticipated rotations against Real Betis tonight following the intense Spanish Super Cup, De Jong may get another opportunity, 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 merely a backup option, especially as he has only a year and a half remaining on his contract with Barcelona.

Not making the most of his chances

Hansi Flick has been trying every possible way to get the Dutch midfielder back to his best, but De Jong has yet to show the necessary competitive form to secure a regular spot.

In Saudi Arabia, he squandered another chance 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 the Netherlands international on to secure the 2-0 victory against Athletic.

However, the midfielder instead endangered the result with a poor turnover that led to a goal by Inaki Williams. He was saved by VAR, which detected an earlier touch by Álvaro Djaló, ruling the play offside.

Once again, De Jong’s performance in this key moment fell far short.

More misses than hits

Struggling to stay relevant. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

The 27-year-old’s return from a lengthy injury layoff has been anything but smooth. His only league start came against Real Sociedad a game which Barça lost 1-0. He played just one half of that match before being withdrawn again with ankle discomfort.

There have been some moments of quality such as his performance against Mallorca where he scored and assisted a goal apiece while he also helped Barça see out a 4-0 win against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu back in October.

However, De Jong’s return has seen more misses than hits.

Two defensive lapses, in particular, stand out which proved costly for Barcelona. At the Benito Villamarin, against Real Betis, the midfielder gave away a clumsy penalty by stepping on Vitor Roque, which led to a draw and cost Barça two points.

Another two points slipped away at Balaidos when De Jong failed to react during a late equaliser by Celta Vigo. As Hugo Alvarez cut past Hector Fort and scored, the former Ajax man stood passively, offering no support, to the frustration of his teammate.

The situation has gotten to a stage where there is a growing concern within the Blaugrana dressing room about De Jong’s form and attitude.

Running out of chances

De Jong’s opportunities to redeem himself are dwindling. The Copa del Rey could provide him with another chance to shine, but failure to perform at the required level might seal his fate.

Upcoming fixtures 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 step up this Wednesday at Montjuïc, his role in the team could be further diminished.