Barcelona fans are notoriously demanding and, just as with El Clasico rivals Real Madrid, they are not shy in making players aware when they are falling short of their expectations.
Frenkie de Jong knows this all too well; the Dutchman was heavily whistled by disgruntled Blaugrana fans as he trudged off in two recent home defeats against Cadiz and Rayo Vallecano. Barca were chasing a late equaliser in both games but the ineffectual midfielder was dragged off in a clear signal that both Xavi Hernandez – and the club’s fans – believed his performance was not helping.
Things have not entirely gone to plan for De Jong since his high-profile €86million (£73.7m) transfer to the Camp Nou from Ajax in the summer of 2019. That deal came off the back of the midfield playing a starring role in the Amsterdam club’s Eredivisie success and their stunning Champions League run, which saw them fall agonisingly shy of reaching the final.
