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MIDFIELD MAESTRO FRENKIE DE JONG LEADS BARCELONA’S RESURGENCE AGAIN
With Barcelona plagued by injuries, Frenkie de Jong's irreplaceable role in midfield is more crucial than ever. His suspension for the Athletic Club clash leaves a massive void Hansi Flick must urgently fill.
Frenkie de Jong - Photo: Getty Images
For Hansi Flick, necessity is rapidly becoming the mother of invention.
He was not prepared to lead a fire drill at the beginning of the season, but he has had to reconsider his lineups and have his tactics questioned every week due to injury after injury, including ones that happened during game warmups.
Maybe we have forgotten how valuable Frenkie de Jong is because of all the commotion.
He has never been a show-stealing player. He has played with some of the biggest stars in the game from the start of his Barcelona career. He began as Lionel Messi's sidekick and now plays in the background alongside Lamine Yamal and Pedri.
He does not record many assists or even score many spectacular goals. Nevertheless, his place in the starting eleven has never been questioned, even though Barca has had five managers, by my count. One of the football purists' players is Frenkie de Jong.
We are being reminded of why Pedri is such an important member of the Blaugrana team in his absence. Frenkie has the intellect to take on the task and succeed, regardless of what the coach asks him to accomplish, because the team's situation varies from game to game.
Frenkie and Marc Casadó were playing together, and Barcelona wanted consistency. Together, they were beginning to play well, and Flick likely believed he had discovered a way to help him get through his injury storm.
On the road at Balaidos, Frenkie led his squad by himself, controlling the midfield and setting the pace.
Seeing him dismissed with a second yellow card in the last moments of the match was unfair. It is impossible to overstate his impact and significance to Barcelona right now.
Fortunately, Barcelona is currently on international leave. With many of the return dates scheduled for the end of November or the start of December, it will allow the injured players time to heal.
It will take a little more holding on Flick's part. Regretfully, he will need to come up with a winning lineup once more in a crucial match against Athletic Club. No matter whether midfield players are selected, Barcelona will need to work hard to win because of Frenkie de Jong's ban.
Hopefully, Barcelona's best starting eleven will be healthy and prepared to contend for prizes by the second half of the season.
While Pedri and Lamine Yamal will receive all the attention, keep an eye on Frenkie de Jong as well.
Regardless of the competition or the opponent, the Barcelona veteran will be at the centre of the lineup.
Without their dependable playmaker, his teammates will need to come together and figure out a way to win a crucial game in the interim.
LIONEL MESSI’S EMOTIONAL BARCELONA MESSAGE SPARKS EXCITEMENT ACROSS FOOTBALL WORLD TODAY
Lionel Messi has expressed his heartfelt wish to return to Barcelona one day, stating he hopes to "return, and not just to say goodbye." Club president Joan Laporta is equally keen to arrange a tribute for the legend.
Lionel Messi Makes Barcelona Return Promise on Camp Nou Visit - Credit: Getty Images via AFP
Lionel Messi has expressed his sincere desire to visit Barcelona again in the future, despite the ongoing rumors about his future at Inter Miami. After an outstanding tenure at the Catalan giants, the World Cup winner left in 2021. Messi won four Champions League medals, seven Spanish cups, and ten league crowns while he was a member of Barcelona. But when his contract expired more than four years ago, Barcelona was unable to provide new terms because of their severe financial situation, so he left.
Luis Suarez wants to finish his career at Inter Miami with Lionel Messi.
In a tearful news conference, Messi bid the team farewell before joining Paris Saint-Germain. Before moving across the Atlantic, he spent two seasons in the French capital. Messi did, however, make a trip back to Barcelona, where he was given a tour of the ongoing renovations at Nou Camp. He promised to go back to the club eventually in a post on Instagram.
Messi tweeted, "Last night, I went back to a location that I miss with all my heart." "You made me feel like the happiest person in the world a thousand times over, and I was incredibly happy there."
"As a player, I never had the opportunity to say goodbye, but I want to return someday."
Although Messi has expressed his desire to return to Barcelona in the future, club president Joan Laporta is just as eager to see that happen. "Of course, I would adore that," he said.
"It would be a lovely way to show our appreciation and acknowledgement. We can plan the celebration that he and the team so well deserve once the stadium is filled to the full.
"Of course, it depends on what [the Messi camp] wants," Laporta continued. Before then, there are presidential elections as well, but I would really like to remain president.
In the upcoming months, Messi may be looking for other opportunities. During the MLS's winter break, the World Cup winner is expected to sign a loan deal with a different team.
With the possibility of providing the Argentine maestro with regular competitive action before the World Cup in the United States next summer, Turkish heavyweights Galatasaray have been suggested as a surprise destination for him. Regardless of any short-term ambitions, Messi has already made clear where his future loyalties lie.
Just last month, he signed new contract terms with Inter Miami that will keep him with the team until the summer of 2028.
ROBERT LEWANDOWSKI UNSTOPPABLE — BARCELONA BLAST CELTA, TITLE CHASE HEATS UP
Robert Lewandowski's hat-trick fires Barcelona to a thrilling 4-2 win at Celta Vigo, moving them second. Lamine Yamal also scored and Marcus Rashford provided two assists in a victory marred by Frenkie de Jong's late red card.
Lewandowski powers Barca closer - Photo by Jose Manuel Alvarez Rey/Getty Images
At Rayo Vallecano, Hansi Flick's team took advantage of Madrid's 0-0 tie earlier, thanks to the experienced Polish striker's hat-trick.
In yet another exciting match brought upon by the champions' offensive strategy, teenager Lamine Yamal also scored for Barcelona, while Marcus Rashford provided two additional assists.
Barca's Frenkie de Jong was sent off late in the game after receiving two yellow cards, but the champions had already won and were in second place.
Lewandowski told Movistar, "Vigo is usually tough for us, but we have fewer points (between us and Real Madrid) today."
"We talked at halftime about how we could improve, but in the first half, Celta scored with ease. In the second half, we had the game more under control."
A frantic first half resulted from Flick's insistence that Barcelona would not alter their style despite recent setbacks, particularly Wednesday's 3–3 Champions League stalemate with Club Brugge.
Ten minutes after Marcos Alonso stopped Fermin Lopez's attempt, the champions took the lead through a penalty kick from Lewandowski, but Celta equalised a minute later.
Celta surged away to score after Lopez threw Rashford through, but Rashford wasted a one-on-one opportunity.
Sergio Carreira sprinted in behind after the Galicians took advantage of Barcelona's high defensive line, and he maintained composure to defeat Wojciech Szczesny.
Flick urged his squad to put up more of a fight without Pedri, Raphinha, and Joan Garcia, among other injured players, and they appeared more motivated at Balaidos.
Ionut Radu of Celta stopped Lewandowski from close range as he followed up, Rashford turned the rebound against the post, and Ilaix Moriba blocked Lopez's attempt.
Resuming his best form, Lewandowski pushed Barca ahead on 37 minutes with his second goal after an inviting cross from Rashford. Radu could have done better with his shot, but it slipped past him.
Two minutes before halftime, Borja Iglesias hammered a rocket from the edge of the box over Szczesny and into the back of the net as Celta swiftly responded once more.
But when Yamal, a teenage sensation, beat Radu at his near post after Rashford's deflected cross, Barca took the lead.
Compared to the chaotic first half, both teams were much more stable in the second half and had a lot fewer opportunities.
Despite being behind, Celta was forced to sit back as Barcelona controlled the ball.
After 73 minutes, Lewandowski gave his team a two-goal lead with a header from Rashford's corner to complete his hat-trick.
The striker's seventh league goal of the season in just four starts demonstrated that, despite a season marred by injuries, his finishing ability has not decreased at the age of 37.
Rashford, who is now on loan at Manchester United, has contributed seven La Liga assists to help cover for the injured Raphinha.
After beating Radu, Yamal broke away and had a chance to score Barca's fifth goal late on, but his low drive struck the post.
Barca suffered a setback when De Jong was sent off for a second yellow card in stoppage time for stepping on Iago Aspas's foot.
Barcelona's triumph gave Flick and his team more confidence ahead of the forthcoming international break after they had only won two of their previous ten league games away from home at Balaidos.
Lewandowski stated, "We have two weeks to unplug now, but I hope we play a lot better when we come back. It is the perfect chance to improve things that are not functioning."
"I told Flick that I did not need a nap. I am so thrilled and feel great physically today."
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