Marc Bernal explodes and says what many think about Frenkie de Jong: 'What did you expect'

One of Barça's major news stories for next season is Marc Bernal's recovery. The young midfielder, considered Sergio Busquets's natural replacement, dazzled Hansi Flick in his few appearances before getting injured. After a long rehabilitation, Bernal is ready to return to the first team and fight for a starting spot in midfield.

Throughout the year, Marc Bernal has been training in the gym to come back in the best possible shape. However, being available is one thing and playing quality minutes is another. Competition in Barça's midfield is fierce, with players like Frenkie de Jong, Casadó, and Gavi fighting for a place in the starting eleven.

Frenkie de Jong, rival No. 1 for Marc Bernal

Frenkie de Jong's ability to distribute the ball, as well as his intelligence in positioning himself tactically, has made him one of the team's most important midfielders. For Flick, he's a key piece in his system. He showed this by benching Casadó and giving more opportunities to "21" when there were still many doubts about him.

Currently, along with Pedri and Olmo, Frenkie de Jong is the chosen one to occupy the defensive midfielder position. When it comes to building play, he contributes a lot, but defensively, he's not as solid as one might expect. That's why Marc Bernal's return is so important: his profile is much more complete than the Dutchman's.

Marc Bernal doesn't hide the reality of playing for Barça

Faced with the competition from Frenkie de Jong and the rest of the players, Marc Bernal has replied with determination during a recent interview. "I'm at Barça, what did you expect? Competition is healthy for the club." These words reflect his competitive mindset and his willingness to fight for a place in the team.

Marc Bernal knows it will be difficult, but he also knows he has enough quality to establish himself as Barça's starting defensive midfielder. He already showed last season what he's capable of, and now he's ready to resume his path to the top.

The importance of Marc Bernal for Barça

Marc Bernal represents Barça's future in midfield. His vision, ball recovery, and distribution skills make him a key player for Hansi Flick's system.

Although competition is fierce, Bernal has the talent and mentality to stand out and earn a place in the starting eleven. We'll see if he starts ahead of Frenkie de Jong right away or if, on the contrary, he has to earn his spot as the months go by. Knowing Flick, the most likely scenario is that Bernal will follow a process similar to Gavi, who also returned from a similar injury.