Frenkie de Jong revival helping Barcelona dream as Borussia Dortmund visit in Champions League

BARCELONA – Barcelona’s improvement under Hansi Flick helped Frenkie de Jong return to form and in return, the Dutchman’s presence has allowed his club to aspire to new heights this season.

The Catalan giants are in contention for a possible quadruple and host German side Borussia Dortmund in a Champions League quarter-final, first leg on April 9.

Since de Jong has re-established himself, Barcelona have stepped up a gear, battling their way back to the top of La Liga as well as sailing onwards in Europe.

They last won the Champions League in 2015, were quarter-finalists for the first time since 2020 last season, and in 2025 are favourites to progress to the final four.

De Jong has formed a stylish tandem at the heart of Barcelona’s midfield with Pedri.

While neither player is at their best when burdened with defensive responsibilities, together they do enough to help Barca survive at the back while flourishing offensively. “Playing with a player like Pedri makes life easier,” said de Jong.

Flick hailed the duo after they helped the team reach the Copa del Rey final with a second-leg away win at Atletico Madrid.

“Frenkie and Pedri were unbelievable, really brave with the ball, keeping the possession,” enthused their coach.

It has been a long road back for de Jong, who until the turn of the year was behind Marc Casado in the pecking order.

Flick started the season with youngster Marc Bernal at the base of midfield but after he suffered a long-term injury, relied on Casado.

De Jong was injured in April 2024 and only returned to fitness in October and for a while, Flick used him sparingly.

“He must deal with this situation, he must regain his confidence,” the German warned in November.

As Barca’s form slumped towards the end of 2024, he started using de Jong ahead of Casado and it paid off.

The Catalans are unbeaten in 22 matches in 2025, with de Jong participating in only one of Barca’s six defeats this season.

“I spoke with Frenkie the first day here. He had a huge injury, came back step by step, day by day and he’s getting better. And now I think also you can see how good he is, how good he is for the team,” added Flick.

De Jong was billed as the successor to Sergio Busquets when he arrived from Ajax Amsterdam in 2019, completing a dream move he had wished for since his youth.

But despite a bright start, it became clear his dynamic game was badly hampered if told to stay in a deep-lying role.

Years of inconsistent form, injury niggles and being forced towards the exit by the club – keen to recoup his transfer fee and unburden themselves of his wages – left de Jong in a difficult position.

He has never quite fit into the team in a position that seems totally suited to him, and even now, his presence does leave Barca more exposed at the back.

However, he helps the team progress with the ball, adding touches of quality and daring to their build-up play.

After a frustrating half-decade in the Catalan capital, with a reported new contract to come in the coming months, the 27-year-old’s story is finally changing for the better. AFP