Frenkie de Jong is still looking for his place in Barça. Although he is still the fourth most used player in the Barça squad, now only behind Ter Stegen, Piqué and Griezmann , he has only been able to exhibit the odd flash of his great quality. So far, Ernesto Valverde and Quique Setién have placed it in four different positions: defensive midfielder, left inside, right inside and even right end. It was the current coach, precisely, who made him play in that position for a few minutes in the Copa match against Leganés. The young Dutch midfielder, signed in principle to return to the core of Barcelona the splendor of yesteryear, in addition, goes through a game bump. However, he is very confident in his possibilities, although he is also very clear that one must flee from odious comparisons .

"It is true that he will never do what Iniesta was doing , but he will give a good performance because his attitude is always wonderful and he always wants to learn," Setién himself said this week in an interview with the MundoDeportivo newspaper. The current Barca coach is a fervent admirer of La Mancha . To such an extent, that even half joked with the possibility of bringing him back to Camp Nou in one of his first interventions in the official media of the club. De Jong, of course, is not him. It has other qualities. And the technician seems to know very well how to exploit them.

«Frenkie is a footballer who, fortunately, is terribly receptive. He has always played more as a midfielder and now we ask him to play in the indoor position . He has made an extraordinary match, and that is what we expect, as well as Arthur and Rakitic . They have to think differently in relation to what they were doing, nothing more, ”said the Barça coach after 5-0 at Leganés in the Cup. In De Jong many expectations have been turned upside down. It is trusted not only to move the ball with discretion and always look for the best option for the pass, the great Barça mantra. Also, that overflows and joins the attack, as it did in Ajax. Under Valverde's orders, perhaps, the style was not what he expected. Now, things should be different.

RENACATE WITH SETIEN

Throughout 26 games under the orders of the former Barça coach, he accumulated a goal and two assists . In the three that has played with Quique Setién on the bench (he was low by penalty against Granada after being expelled in the derby against Espanyol that was played in Cornellà-El Prat) he adds two goal passes . The first, to Griezmann, was the momentary 1-1 against Ibiza in the Copa del Rey, in a match that would end with an agonizing Barca victory by 1-2. The second, Messi, became 3-0 in the duel that the team played in this same competition last Thursday against Leganés. The current Barcelona coach gives much importance to the circulation of the ball. And, in those lides, the Dutchman should feel like a fish in the water.

«Pass statistics don't tell me much. Only that way you control the game. Having the ball prevents the opponent from hurting you and scoring goals. If you have the ball for eighty minutes, that prevents the opponent from having it, but I don't like the inconsequential possessions either. Sometimes you have to play backwards, because you defend yourself with the ball and that is why it is important to pass. But if you have the ball and you fit goals, it is worse on top, ”Setién reflected in the press conference before the match against Levante, remembering, of course, one of the most characteristic postulates of his admired Johan Cruyff.

The winter market has left a first team consisting of only 18 players. But that doesn't seem to worry you too much. « It is true that we have fewer players, but there is a subsidiary behind. There are prepared kids, who have come to train with us and are sure to help us in case of need, ”said a Setién who insisted on the great role that Ousmane Dembélé can play as soon as he is fully recovered from his injury. Of course, he said he is not in favor of forcing the reappearance of the French, to avoid greater evils. As, in this case, neither to hurry the options of an Arturo Vidal who trained outside the group, although he is confident that the Chilean will finally be able to enter his list.

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