“He has brutal confidence” - Xavi claims 25-year-old Barcelona star is now ‘the best version’ of himself since he joined the club
Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez recently heaped praise on Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong. Xavi claimed that this is the best version of De Jong since the player joined the club in 2019.
While De Jong's future at Barcelona has been the subject of intense speculation, there's no denying the fact that the former Ajax player is a world-class midfielder. His presence is bound to make any team better, as Barca are discovering.
Xavi opined that De Jong has become a force both in terms of defense and attack. Speaking ahead of his team's crucial La Liga clash against Villarreal, he told the media (via Barca Universal):
“This is the best version of Frenkie since we’ve been here, in both attack and defence. He has brutal confidence.”
De Jong has played 25 games for the Catalan club this season, starting 19 of those. He has scored two goals and has provided one assist so far this campaign. Since his move to Catalonia in 2019, De Jong has played 165 games, scoring 15 goals and providing 19 assists.
This Frenkie de Jong goal is just magic! ✨ https://t.co/ICqY7X8CoU
While the Dutchman is certainly a crucial cog in Xavi's team, one player who is yet to find his feet in Barcelona is Franck Kessie. Xavi, however, stated that the former AC Milan midfielder is patient and is keen to make an impact. He said:
“Kessié has been patient and the other day made a difference. I had a lot of patience. The new generations want to go too fast. They are at the best club in the world.”
Barcelona have a difficult run of fixtures coming up
Xavi's side are currently La Liga leaders and hold an eight-point advantage over second-placed Real Madrid. The upcoming clash against Villarreal is crucial for Barca to keep their lead at the top of the table.
After the away game against Yellow Submarine, the Blaugrana will host Manchester United for the first leg of their enthralling UEFA Europa League clash.
Xavi was asked whether he is prioritizing La Liga over the Europa League. He dismissed the notion, saying:
“I don’t prioritize La Liga over the Europa League. We want to win every game and we give the same importance to all competitions.”
One week to go.
FC Barcelona vs Manchester United.
Two biggest clubs ever. https://t.co/ParR1LyPd0