After some poor results against Inter and Real Madrid in recent weeks, Barcelona have come under serious pressure. However that pressure has become acutely focused on certain individuals. One of those was Sergio Busquets.
Against Villarreal on Thursday, Frenkie de Jong played in his usual pivot position and did an excellent job. It has led some to wonder whether Barcelona might be better off with de Jong there more often.
Speaking to Marca ahead of Barcelona’s tie with Athletic Club, manager Xavi Hernandez was asked whether pivote was his best position.
“Because of his potential, I see him more as an interior (further forward), although he’s very good in defence. I think he can be differential at an offensive level… the other day he had a great game. He has to be important, I like him and he has tremendous potential. I see that when the game is front of him he sees it better. You have to play him facing the opposition.”
Later on, he was asked how it changes the team when de Jong is there instead of Busquets.
“It changes more in terms of how the opposition plays. The other day Frenkie was the free man and he understood that well, he managed to get on the ball a lot. Many times that position is marked.”
“In the pivote position there are a lot of things to consider, you have to do a lot of things defensively, to make covering runs. You have to choose the right pass to get out. Frenkie did well.”
“Then Busquets is a master. He knows where to be all the time, he robs the ball, for me Busi will continue to be important.”
The proof will be in Xavi’s selections. Busquets has often been exposed in recent seasons against bigger teams and there is no doubt that de Jong can cover the ground better.
Busquets may well still be a better footballer, yet if Barcelona do not play precisely to his skillset (and to accommodate his weaknesses), their system end up working out better with de Jong.
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