Tension is mounting at Camp Nou as Hansi Flick loses patience with a once-key Barcelona star now struggling for form.
What once looked like a fixed axis in the centre of the pitch has been broken up, with one of the dressing room leaders discovering that reputation alone no longer guarantees minutes in a squad where merit and form have taken precedence.
The shift has been accelerated by the rise of an unexpected figure in the pivot zone, whose energy, clarity on the ball and tactical discipline have given Flick a new reference point for what he wants from his “6” in and out of possession.
That star is Frenkie de Jong, who has lost his previously “untouchable” status in Flick’s starting XI, largely because of the impressive emergence of Eric Garcia as a dominant option in defensive midfield, as reported by AS.
De Jong, once locked in alongside Pedri as the automatic double pivot, has seen his influence wane in recent weeks, symbolised by starting on the bench against Eintracht Frankfurt and only entering on 66 minutes in a Champions League tie that once would have run through him.
Across Barcelona’s last two games, he has not even managed half an hour on the pitch, and in La Liga, he has missed three of the past four fixtures, with illness, family issues and suspension explaining individual absences but not the broader trend of his reduced centrality.
Flick’s frustration stems less from De Jong’s talent and more from the lack of dominance the Dutchman has shown compared to Garcia’s all-action, risk-free interpretation of the role.
For the first time since his early Barcelona seasons, the Netherlands international finds himself needing to win his place back on performance rather than status, with Flick sending a clear message that no captaincy or past standing will shield anyone from competition.
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