Barcelona locker room growing increasingly worried over captain’s form and attitude | OneFootball

Barcelona find themselves in a queer situation where two of the team’s captains simply do not seem motivated enough to help the team’s cause.

Clearly still under rebuild with Hansi Flick, the Catalans have looked better this season than they have in recent times.

However, Ronald Araujo is now looking to leave given the stiff competition for a starting place in defence, while Frenkie de Jong’s case also seems to be beyond repair.

Disconnected from the present

As relayed in a recent update from AS, Barcelona’s coaching staff and dressing room are growing increasingly worried about De Jong’s situation as the player is looking more and more disconnected on the field than he ever has.

The Dutchman has been a shadow of himself since returning from his injury earlier this season and it is clear that he is no longer as confident as he once was. And while that is perfectly excusable, there is a feeling that he shows no desire to contribute on the field.

De Jong has been well below his best this season. (Photo by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images)

De Jong’s performances and errors in recent games are the perfect testament to his growing sense of negligence towards his duties as a Barcelona captain.

First, the player conceded a penalty against Real Betis by pulling off an unnecessary foul on Vitor Roque at Benito Villamarin.

Playing for Barcelona after the Christmas break, one vividly remembers the passage of play where he gifted the ball away to UD Barbastro and showed no desire to win it back.

Earlier this week, he once again put the ball on a platter for Inaki Williams in Barcelona’s win over Athletic Club with a misplaced pass. If losing the ball was not bad enough, he did not show any urgency to help rectify his mistake.

Having given the ball away, De Jong stood on the field motionless, as if he had resigned to the fact that his tenure at the club was nearing an end. Needless to say, it is not a positive sign for Hansi Flick and Co.

Contractually obligated to Barcelona until 2026, it remains to be seen what happens to his future next summer. At this point, a departure is looking very likely.