"Why is Hansi forcing him into the lineup" - Barcelona fans unhappy with star's inclusion in XI for Real Sociedad clash
Some Barcelona fans online were left unhappy with the inclusion of Frenkie de Jong in their starting XI to face Real Sociedad in LaLiga on Sunday, November 10. Tonight's game marks the Dutchman's second start of the season in seven appearances for La Blaugrana across competitions.
Hansi Flick's starting line-up includes Inaki Pena in goal, with Alejandro Balde, Inigo Martinez, Pau Cubarsi, and Jules Kounde forming the back-line. Pedri, Frenkie de Jong, and Marc Casado constitute the midfield. Fermin Lopez, Robert Lewandowski, and Raphinha feature in the frontline.
Culers took to X to react to the line-up, and many were disappointed with Frenkie de Jong's inclusion. One user wrote:
"Why is Hansi forcing De Jong into the lineup?"
"Just seen De Jong in lineup so it doesn’t look good," another user jibed.
"making pedri play 10 for “frenkie de jong” be serious," a netizen added.
Some of the other reactions were as follows:
"We got de Jong as our DM," a fan commented.
"Why de jong bruh," an X user asked.
"If De Jong does that bullshit he did last week, hook him at half," another person chimed in.
Frenkie de Jong has missed nine games for Barcelona this season across competitions owing to an ankle injury he picked up last season. The Dutch midfielder returned to the pitch during a Champions League clash against Young Boys on October 1. He featured as a starter in La Blaugrana's last Champions League 2-5 win over Red Star Belgrade.
Barcelona confirm star forward Lamine Yamal will not feature in LaLiga clash vs Real Sociedad
Barcelona have confirmed that their star forward Lamine Yamal will not feature in their LaLiga clash against Real Sociedad due to a contusion. An official statement from the club via their X dated November 10 said:
"First team player Lamine Yamal sustained a severe right ankle contusion in last Wednesday's game against Red Star Belgrade. Over the past few days, he has undergone treatment, but the discomfort has yet to subside. His recovery will determine his availability."
The news of Yamal's unavailability comes ahead of the November international break. The 17-year-old was a part of Luis de la Fuente's squad for Spain's UEFA Nations League games. However, it remains to be seen if Yamal is able to feature in any of the fixtures.
Lamine Yamal has been one of the most significant players in the Barcelona attack this season, recording six goals and eight assists in 16 outings across competitions. The La Masia graduate notably won the Kopa Trophy during the Ballon d'Or ceremony in Paris this year.