Barcelona produced a stirring performance against Real Madrid in the semi-final of the Supercopa de Espana in Saudi Arabia last night. They lost a thrilling edition of El Clasico 3-2 after extra time but there were many positive signs that emerged from it.
But not for everybody, note Marca. Frenkie de Jong started at the heart of the Blaugrana’s midfield only to be hauled off at half-time and replaced by Pedri. The teenager from the Canary Islands was a revelation as soon as he took to the field, changing the game.
De Jong has long been linked with a move away from Camp Nou. He’s viewed by many as the most saleable asset currently at the club, and isn’t indispensable given the emergence of Pedri, Gavi and Nico Gonzalez. Barcelona need an influx of investment if they want to sign Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund.
In an ideal world Barcelona would keep De Jong. He’s shown in glimpses that he has the potential to become one of the finest midfielders in the European game and is sure to have a successful career. But Barcelona don’t live in an ideal world, and there will have to be sacrifices if they’re to keep moving forward.
