They reveal a fact about Frenkie de Jong that changes everything: Hansi Flick is amazed

Hansi Flick's arrival on the FC Barcelona bench has marked a turning point for Frenkie de Jong. The German coach trusted the Dutch midfielder from the very beginning, gave him authority, and restored a leading role that he had gradually lost over the seasons. Thanks to that trust, Frenkie has managed to silence many rumors and establish himself as an undisputed starter.

Together with Pedri, Frenkie de Jong has formed one of the most dominant pairs in European soccer in the engine room. Both interpret the game with enviable naturalness, control the tempo, and are able to decide when to speed up or slow down a match. In many games, Barça has played exactly the way they wanted.

However, the last few weeks haven't been so calm for the Dutch midfielder. First, he missed the match against Athletic after being sent off against Celta, an incident that already sparked internal debate. Afterwards, he couldn't be available against Alavés for personal reasons and, to make matters worse, he also missed the match against Atleti due to a fever.

Three absences in important matches have forced Hansi Flick to move pieces in a key area of the field. That's where a figure is emerging at a rapid pace: Eric García. The Catalan, who started the season with a secondary role, has grown with each appearance until becoming untouchable.

They reveal a stat about Frenkie de Jong that changes everything

Beyond tactics, there's a fact that has even surprised Hansi Flick himself. Frenkie de Jong, playing as Barça's pivot, has only scored 19 goals in 276 official matches. What's most striking is that he still hasn't found the net this season.

The contrast with Eric García is clear. Despite having played most of his matches as a center-back or full-back, Eric has scored 7 goals in just over 100 matches. This stat highlights a clear difference in the offensive contribution of both players.

This statistic has sparked internal debate within the coaching staff. Flick understands that the pivot shouldn't live off goals, but he also values that certain contexts require arrivals from the second line. Eric García, without being a pure midfielder, has shown more instinct and boldness in the opponent's half than Frenkie de Jong.

Eric García could permanently take Frenkie de Jong's spot

For all these reasons, it's not out of the question that Eric García could keep his starting spot even when Frenkie de Jong is one hundred percent available. Hansi Flick himself has acknowledged that "in the last few matches we've played very well with Eric as a '6'. Frenkie was sick and needs to improve, the important thing is to have the best eleven possible on the field".

Frenkie de Jong remains a key footballer for Barça, but the numbers don't lie. The lack of offensive impact is starting to weigh in certain scenarios. Flick, who is amazed by the number of goals from the '21', is already considering all options to get the most out of the team.