Daegu FC star names the player who surprised him the most in Barcelona’s 5-0 triumph | OneFootball

FC Barcelona brought down the curtains on their pre-season tour of Asia on Monday, with a resounding 5-0 win over Daegu FC in South Korea.

Gavi was the star of the show with a first-half brace on either side of a goal from Robert Lewandowski. The second half saw youngster Toni Fernandez get on the scoresheet while new signing Marcus Rashford bagged his first goal for Barça.

It was a well-oiled performance from the La Liga champions, with a number of players impressing while manager Hansi Flick even experimented with some things during the game at the Daegu Stadium.

Frenkie de Jong impresses Daegu FC’s Bruno Lamas

But it was Frenkie de Jong who surprised Daegu FC player Bruno Lamas the most during Barcelona’s 5-0 thumping win on Monday.

Speaking to Jijantes FC earlier today, Lamas said: “There were many players who surprised me, but the one who stood out the most was De Jong. He didn’t lose a single ball and controlled the entire midfield.”

Making an impression. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

De Jong was part of the starting lineup for Barça against Daegu, as he paired up with Gavi in the middle of the park.

Before making way for Pedri at half-time, the Netherlands international made 55 touches, completed 47 of 49 attempted passes (96% accuracy), played one key pass, and created one big chance, playing a big part in Barça’s dominance.

A key player for Hansi Flick

After being eased back into action upon his return from injury last season, De Jong has firmly established himself as one of Barcelona’s most pivotal players under manager Hansi Flick.

The Dutchman, who is close to finalising his contract renewal with Barcelona, is the frontrunner for a starting spot in midfield alongside Pedri.

What’s more, recent reports suggest that De Jong is also the leading candidate to be named Barcelona’s first captain for the new season, as Marc-Andre ter Stegen could lose the position.