Frenkie de Jong has spoken out about the heavy criticism he’s been receiving in recent times. The Barcelona midfielder has been a scapegoat for many regarding the Blaugrana’s poor form, and while it’s true that he has been below par the Dutchman doesn’t believe it to be fair that he’s under such close scrutiny.
Speaking to NOS in comments carried by Mundo Deportivo, he’s issued his response. “Today you’re either very good or you’re very bad,” he said. “I like football, so I also read the newspapers. I realise that a lot of people are talking to each other.
“Sometimes I have the feeling they don’t really watch the games. Or they do watch and then they take their opinions from commentators and analysts. If everyone imitates each other, there’s going to be an atmosphere that things are going badly.
“I’ve not been poor, although I haven’t hit my highest level very often that season either. If you just play flat, it can be fine, but for some people that’s bad right away.”
De Jong joined Barcelona in the summer of 2019, turning down other more lucrative proposals to play at Camp Nou alongside Lionel Messi. The Argentine is gone now and Barcelona are in a very different situation to what they were back then. Times are tough at the club and De Jong is in the eye of the storm.
Barcelona are fifth in La Liga and face a battle to make it into next season’s Champions League. They’re a point behind Atletico Madrid in fourth and a whopping 15 off league leaders Real Madrid. They face Napoli in the next round of the Europa League.
