Barcelona's Frenkie de Jong Must Regain Confidence, Says Flick

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has challenged Frenkie de Jong to regain his confidence as the team prepares for a busy December schedule.

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has made it clear that Frenkie de Jong needs to step up his game if he wants to secure a starting spot for the LaLiga club. With stiff competition in midfield, De Jong faces an uphill battle to nail down a first-team spot.

De Jong's road to recovery has been long and arduous, having been sidelined for several months due to a persistent ankle injury. This injury not only kept him out of action for Barcelona but also forced him to miss Euro 2024 with the Netherlands.

Despite his challenging recovery, De Jong is close to making his return to the pitch. Hansi Flick has expressed his enthusiasm for De Jong's progress in training, suggesting that he could be back in action as soon as Barcelona's Champions League clash against Young Boys.

Since his return to action in October, 27-year-old Ansu Fati has struggled to regain his starting spot, making only two starts and mostly featuring as a substitute. The young forward faced further disappointment on Tuesday when he was booed by Barcelona fans during the team's 3-0 Champions League victory over French side Brest.

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick addressed Fati's situation in a press conference ahead of the team's upcoming home game against Las Palmas on Saturday. Flick emphasized that Fati must work to regain his confidence, stating, “He must deal with this situation. He must regain his confidence.” The manager also highlighted the team's focus on winning each game with the best possible lineup.

Flick expressed optimism about Fati's future prospects, saying, “He will be back, but it takes time.” The manager noted that Fati had made significant progress since his injury and that his mentality had improved in recent weeks. With patience and continued hard work, Flick believes Fati will regain his form and become a key contributor to the team's success.

“He will be back, but it takes time. For me he was injured and now he is progressing well, and personally three or four weeks ago, when he started playing, he had a different mentality.

“Now he's back after the international break and we support him, but we have a lot of midfielders. Those who are at 100% will play. He has to show the level. He is progressing, we follow him and we support him.”

Barcelona aims to bounce back from a recent loss and draw in the league, and they will receive a boost with the return of teenage forward Lamine Yamal from injury, making him available for selection in the upcoming match against Las Palmas.

“He's back, he's ready to play. I don't know if he will start. But he will play,” Flick said.

“I hope the team is well prepared. It showed in the session. Some players are coming back. We are in a good situation.”

Barcelona is set to embark on a demanding schedule in December, with five matches packed into a 19-day period. This intense run of fixtures includes a high-stakes Champions League clash against Borussia Dortmund and a crucial league encounter with Atletico Madrid.

As the team prepares for this challenging stretch, manager Hansi Flick emphasized the importance of focusing on the immediate task at hand. “I think I speak for the whole team when I say that the best thing today is to win tomorrow's game,” Flick stated, highlighting the team's determination to secure a vital victory in their upcoming match against Las Palmas.

“I think I speak for the whole team when I say that the best thing today is to win tomorrow's game,” Flick said.

“We don't care what happens next Tuesday or in Dortmund. What concerns us and occupies us is tomorrow's game. We want to build on what we saw against Brest.

“We want to show this, also to the fans. Tomorrow the best players will play, and those who are the best.”