From Jong – Casadó: Sorpasso or rotation?

When Frenkie de Jong played again on October 1, part of the Olimpic Lluís Companys stared booed him. It was not the first time that the Dutch, who began his sixth course in Barça, listened to that unpleasant sound. It already happened during the presentation of the team at the Gamper. At that time, he was recovering from a sprain in the right ankle that he suffered on April 22 in the Santiago Bernabéu classic in a clash with Fede Valverde. The recovery was very slow and was without playing five months. That October 1, on his Blaugrana return in front of the Young Boys and before the boos, he did not even ask for Captain’s bracelet to Raphinha. He was scared.

His rhythm was not consistent with that of his companions. His ankle transmitted fear in each duel. It was like that for 13 games. “He knows perfectly what he should do. I hope we can help you recover the pace you had before the injury, ”he insisted week after week Flick.

For a few weeks, the situation has begun to change. The meeting against Alavés on February 2 was a turning point for the Dutch who left with Eric Garcia to give another air to the game.

From Jong, who had not given signs of renewing, it is proposed to extend his contract beyond 2026

Holder in the win against Valencia in the Copa del Rey and Sevilla in the League, by Jong he has been raising a possible sorpasso against Marc Casadó. Pedri’s companion in the gestation of the play, the Dutch has been made with the midfielder of Barcelona. Sources of the costume ensure that Flick is one of those technicians who not only recover the best version of his players. He also wants to take advantage and enhance them when they are going through a great moment. That is why in these weeks of less competitive tension and before facing Rayo Vallecano tomorrow, the German coach has asked De Jong to be a more vertical player. Flick knows that he is now closer to being able to align the eleven he imagined in his head when he arrived. From the outset, without knowing even Casadó or Bernal, the German thought of the Dutch playing next to Pedri or Gavi.

Casadó is not scared of the bench: “It has cost him a lot to arrive and will continue to work,” says his surroundings

On the other side of the balance is Marc Casadó. A very different profile from De Jong, especially since it is much more solid in defense and, in turn, frequents the attack less. Therefore, club sources say that the election will depend a lot on the Barcelona rival.

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It also influences the road map that controls the physiotherapist Raúl Martínez and that serves as a guide to Flick. That Excel Account that Casadó adds 2,178 minutes in 30 matches against the 1,006 of Jong in the 23 games in which he has been available.

Casadó is not scared of the possible sorpasso. “Si Flick wants to try me, I stay,” he told Rafa Márquez, former technician of the subsidiary that always raised him above the rest. For something he was his captain. Márquez gave his name to Flick when he asked about the level of the subsidiary.

Before the casting that was raised on the United States tour, Casadó rejected offers such as Chelsea. Precisely the Premier League club continues with the magnifying glass on the canterano. Aware of the rise of De Jong, in this winter market they were interested again in the pivot. Casadó closed the door again. Leaving the eleven holder of the Flick team does not generate a discomfort that cannot be dealt with. “It has cost him a lot to get here. He will continue working as he has always done, ”they tell from their environment.

Casadó has a contract with Barcelona until 2028. Parallel, after several months without receiving from De Jong, he begins to have signs that the Dutch wants to extend his contract beyond 2026. Until now, Jong had remained silent. Logically, he wanted to recover his best version before deciding his future.