A section of the FC Barcelona support whistled Frenkie de Jong on Wednesday. It happened as the midfielder walked onto the pitch for the friendly against Al-Ahly in the Joan Gamper Trophy.
You can hear the whistles as the stadium announcer reads out De Jong’s name. The Dutchman, for his part, walks on towards his Barcelona team-mates without reacting.
That reaction may be linked to reporting by Gerard Romero. The Spanish journalist claimed De Jong refused to play against Atlético Madrid in the Champions League last season and that his relationship with coach Hansi Flick was strained.
De Jong says there is no truth in those stories. ”Gerard Romero reported, and he set all of this in motion himself, that I refused to play against Atlético in the Champions League last year. That is not true. It is simply not correct,” he told Barcelona’s club channel.
He also laughed off suggestions that his bond with Flick has deteriorated. ”Romero said that my relationship with the coach is very bad. But there is nothing true about that. My relationship with him is actually very good.”
For now, De Jong is trying to get fully fit again after the knee injury he suffered at the World Cup. It is not yet known when the midfielder will be available again for the Spanish champions.