Barcelona midfielder facing surprise setback ahead of Athletic Club showdown | OneFootball

According to a recent report from SPORT, Frenkie de Jong is heading into the Spanish Super Cup semi-final against Athletic Club with genuine uncertainty hanging over his place in the starting XI. 

What once seemed unthinkable has now become a realistic scenario, as selection decisions in Barcelona’s midfield grow increasingly competitive.

The Barcelona captain’s situation has shifted notably since his appearance against Chelsea. From that point onward, the Dutch midfielder has been named on the bench in three of the six matches he was available for selection. 

Those numbers come after excluding the two games he missed earlier, first due to personal reasons and then because of a fever. 

A detailed context

While it is true that De Jong has completed the full 90 minutes in the last three official matches, context plays a crucial role here.

One of those appearances came in the Copa del Rey against Guadalajara. The other two matches, against Villarreal and Espanyol, were shaped by forced circumstances. 

Frenkie de Jong’s place is uncertain. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

In one, Pedri was unavailable, and in the other, he was not yet fully fit.

Those absences opened the door for De Jong, but the dynamic changes significantly now.

Things have changed

With Pedri fully recovered and ready to start, Hansi Flick suddenly has more options in the midfield. 

The big question is whether De Jong drops back into a more secondary role or whether Flick opts to use him ahead of Eric Garcia in midfield. 

There is also another tactical wrinkle Flick may consider, as Garcia could be pushed back into defence, partnering Pau Cubarsi at centre-back. 

However, the current pairing involving Cubarsi and Gerard Martin has looked solid and well-drilled, which means making changes there is far from straightforward.