Barcelona earned a hard-fought 3-2 victory against Borussia Dortmund in Germany during an exciting Champions League match, with Hansi Flick’s side demonstrating resilience and skill to claim the three points in a tough situation. However, not all the news was favorable for the Catalans.
Frenkie de Jong’s performance once again fell short of expectations. The Dutch midfielder, who played the final 20 minutes, failed to seize the opportunity to redeem himself. Instead, his display was once again met with criticism. De Jong made several errors that jeopardized Barcelona’s victory, from losing possession in risky areas to being sluggish in transitions and ineffective in one-on-one duels. His lack of precision and coordination in key moments was glaring, leading some fans, who had previously voiced their discontent, to label him as one of the team’s weakest links.
Despite continued public backing from Hansi Flick, the German coach is starting to realize that his patience has limits. While Flick has worked to maintain De Jong’s confidence, he is beginning to question his reliability for important moments in the season.
There are growing discussions within Barcelona regarding the possibility of De Jong’s departure in the summer transfer window. Given the club’s need to reduce costs and free up wages, the highly-paid Dutchman, whose on-field impact has been minimal, could become one of the players sacrificed. Additionally, De Jong is in demand across Europe, which could ease his transfer to another top club.
For now, Flick is keeping his comments neutral, but the situation in the locker room is clear: De Jong is no longer part of the coach’s future plans. His performance against Dortmund further confirmed a trend observed over recent months, and all signs suggest that his time at Barcelona is nearing its end. His departure now appears inevitable.
