The real reason why Barcelona midfielder did not play against Sevilla – report | OneFootball

In an interesting development, RAC1 has revealed that Frenkie de Jong was physically fit to play in Barcelona’s recent match against Sevilla.

However, manager Hansi Flick deliberately left him warming up for the entire second half without bringing him onto the pitch. This decision appears to have been a warning to de Jong, as Flick reportedly took issue with certain behaviours from the player.

Flick said something else

Despite de Jong’s absence from the field, it was not due to injury. Speaking after the match, Flick explained that while de Jong wasn’t injured, he had experienced some discomfort.

According to the manager, de Jong was initially expected to start the match, but he felt some discomfort on Friday.

By the time of the game, he was feeling better, though Flick still deemed him unfit to start. The Dutchman was considered an option to come off the bench but remained unused.

SEVILLE, SPAIN – JANUARY 21: Frenkie de Jong of FC Barcelona looks on during the LaLiga EA Sports match between Real Betis and FC Barcelona at Estadio Benito Villamarin on January 21, 2024 in Seville, Spain. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

“We also thought that Frenkie could have started today, but he told us that he was having discomfort and that was why he was not an option to start today,” he said.

Flick is not to be messed with

What makes this situation more intriguing is that this is not the first time Flick has taken a firm stance with a player at Barcelona.

Prior to the match against Alaves, Jules Kounde had been a key figure in the team, having played every single minute up to that point. However, Kounde found himself benched, not due to performance, but because he arrived late for the pre-match meeting.

This pattern of firm discipline suggests that Flick is not afraid to make bold decisions if he feels a player’s attitude is not up to standard.

Though the specifics of what occurred between Flick and de Jong remain unclear, it’s evident that Flick expects nothing less than full commitment and discipline from his squad.

His actions with de Jong and Kounde send a clear message—no player is beyond reproach, regardless of their importance to the team.