“He knows what he must do” – Barcelona manager Hansi Flick addresses Frenkie de Jong situation | OneFootball

Barcelona could be knocked off the top of La Liga by the time they face Leganes on Sunday, which would be the consequence of their poor recent form. However, they will be aiming to end 2024 on a high, starting with the match at the Estadi Olimpic.

Atletico Madrid will be Barcelona’s final of the year, that being next weekend. However, Hansi Flick’s full focus is on Leganes, as he told the media in his press conference (via MD).

“Leganes is tomorrow and we are not thinking about Atletico. The issue is to decide on the same team, but there are also players who can be rested. We have quality. It’s good to do some rotation, but we haven’t decided yet.”

One player that could be brought into the starting line-up is Frenkie de Jong, and Flick addressed recent criticism of the Barcelona midfielder.

“I tell the players that I don’t think about individuals. In Dortmund he came in and we won important points… You saw how they celebrated. It’s not about protecting him. He knows what he must do. We must support the players to give the highest level.

“What is important for injuries is that they can recover perfectly. I hope he gets back into the rhythm. Not only him, it is Gavi, it is Araujo… We take care of the players. We protect them. I hope we can help them give even more.”