‘You can’t do more as a player’

Sunday, April 18, 2021 at 7:30 am• Daniel Cabot Kerkdijk • Last update: 07:45

Frenkie de Jong was one of the stars in the final of the Copa del Rey between Athletic Club and Barcelona (0-4) in Seville on Saturday. The Dutchman was posted to midfield in Ronald Koeman’s 3-5-2 system and soon let his feet speak. In the first half it remained with a shot on the post, but after the break he prepared the goals of Antoine Griezmann and Lionel Messi and he also took the 0-2 in between. The Spanish newspapers praise De Jong’s match on Sunday.

Sport scatters eights and nines and even hands out two tens. In the view of the Catalan sports newspaper, De Jong and Messi were the best two players in southern Spain. “He played very well in the games he had to play as a central defender, but the midfield is his territory. In the first half he already shot a ball on the post and after the break he entered the Athletic penalty area even more and went loose. A goal and two assists for a footballer who can be found everywhere and who does everything right. Priceless. ”

In Sport is also an article by journalist Xavi Canals about the Dutchman, entitled: ‘The best De Jong leads the conquest of the first prize’. Canals points out that the ex-player of Willem II and Ajax may be having the best season of his career. “In any case, his best season in the Barcelona outfit, after a changeable first season in which it did not help that the team was not functioning. De Jong is now already on seven hits and eight assists. And that while Koeman often presents his fellow countryman as a libero. De Jong has proven himself a key player in the Barcelona system thanks to his technical and tactical contribution, his involvement and his versatility. ”

“De Jong has also taken steps in the ball circulation. He gives Barcelona the speed in possession that the club is so famous for. He now also has the capacity to score goals, undiscovered at Ajax, and he has adapted extremely well to a position where he did not often play until his arrival in Barcelona. In the reviews of ASH De Jong can also be found in the title: ‘De Jong leaves his mark on the Copa del Rey’. “A memorable match for the Dutchman”, writes Juan Jiménez. “Not only did he give two assists and score a goal, he was also everywhere. He proved that in a role as a central defender, he cannot show his qualities due to his youthfulness and walking ability. Koeman has made a much better football player out of his countryman. ”

The head of Marca above the reviews is also telling: ‘De Jong es una maquina, he’s a machine ‘. “What a performance by De Jong. He could be found everywhere. He played, he let play, he prepared goals and he also scored himself. You can’t do more in a match, ”writes Spain’s best-selling sports newspaper. “And he also did everything deliberately. The quality radiated. He quickly hit the post and after the break he prepared the 0-1 for Antoine Griezmann, he himself led the 0-2 with a header and with a brilliant combination he also led the 0-3 for Messi. He flew over the field in the second half and proved that he can handle much better as a midfielder. ”

“An excellent performance by De Jong in a match in which he quickly aimed the ball at the post”, added Mundo Deportivo to read. “He enhanced his superb game with two assists and a goal. The Dutchman wanted to win his first prize with Barcelona and he did everything he could to make it happen. ” Also for ElDesmarque De Jong was the best player on the field: the Dutchman received the highest rating with a nine. He does not become one centrocampista, a midfielder, called, just one todocampista, a midfielder who todo, everything is possible. “His goal in Seville is a reward for the patience, commitment, persistence and intelligence of a boy who has proven this season that he can make history at Barcelona.”