MADRID – Better late than never, it’s usually said when the least expected day and when the disappointment has generalized, the player so expected catapults himself by showing up one day, and two and three. To show that yes, beyond the price, the proven quality is already visible in the field and its importance is as expected. Griezmann? No, the French are still expected. The main character of such a happy start is Frenkie de Jong. The happiest face in Barcelona.
In Vallecas he scored his fourth goal since the beginning of 2021 and again showed his best version. The total all-round player who fell in love with Ajax and who quietly entered the Barça dressing room in the summer of 2020. So much was expected of him that his hesitant beginning was one of obvious frustration. Installed as interior door Valverdevery close to the band, De Jong’s first season at Barça was more discreet than brilliant.
Without making a difference under Valverde’s command, being nearly invisible in a few games, his ancestry, childhood and desire made the fans have a lot more patience with him than other footballers who signed as stars.
The Dutchman was expected to lead offensive football and not with Setien He took that step forward as he was part of the final breakdown and his second season as a Barça player was heading into rehab.
FROM DOUBT TO CONFIRMATION
Koeman came to the sofa and, surprisingly, he changed the whole drawing, placed him next to Busquets in the double pivot point, and he was barely better. Neither up nor down, stay in no man’s land, the first two months were the continuation of the nightmare … Until everything changed.
And De Jong catapulted himself heavenly. “He has a lot of quality to build from behind, but he also had to give more to the team offensively. We talked about it, reached the other area, finished and scored more goals,” he said in Vallecas on Wednesday. Ronald Koeman, happy for his compatriot’s recovered figure and aware that his change of system, allowing him to return to the indoor position with freedom, may have been the coach’s best sporting decision.
De Jong in Ajax mode is now declared in Barcelona. “I’m happy, but I can play better,” smiled the player after scoring his fourth goal since the start of the year, accompanying him with two assists and a transcendence in the team’s play that will re-position him in the expected figure.
“We know his quality in this position and he is more complete because, despite helping Busquets from behind with the construction, his arrival in the rival area has helped us a lot,” the engineer resolved, realizing that improvement and his best version exploiting herein. recovered 4-3-3, freeing him from defensive duties and giving him the ability to both connect more with the attackers and reach the rival territory from the second row.
Barça starts to stumble. He’s probably suffering more than enough, but he smiles when he looks at his number 21. De Jong has taken the step and is on his way to showing that he was an important sign for the future of the club.
Griezmann, meanwhile, is still waiting.