Koeman defends De Jong and warns Barcelona of the Champions League trap
Ronald Koeman, the former Barcelona manager, has confirmed that his compatriot Frenkie de Jong possesses great mental strength, stressing his ability to deal with the pressure and criticism he faces at the Catalan club.
Koeman made the remarks, according to the Spanish newspaper "AS", at a charity golf tournament this morning, held at the Barcelona Golf Club in the town of Sant Esteve Sesrovires. He captained the Barcelona team against Espanyol, carrying the atmosphere of the derby between the two clubs into another sport, while Juan Capdevila captained the Espanyol side.
The former Netherlands manager turned to Frenkie de Jong, who remains the focus of ongoing debate at Barcelona, whether over his level or after Hansi Flick surprised everyone by handing him a few minutes at full-back against Atletico Madrid.
De Jong's fine display on the right drew no surprise from Koeman. "He knows how to play at full-back, as well as centre-back, as he played in these positions with me. He is capable of playing in several different positions," he explained.
Defending his compatriot's technical ability, Koeman voiced his regret at how injuries have hampered him in recent years. "He is a great player. He has suffered injuries over the past two years, and the return is always difficult after that. The same thing happened to him at the European Championship, as well as at the World Cup," he said.
On the criticism aimed at the Dutch midfielder, Koeman reckons he is "mentally very strong" and able to withstand the pressure. "He is aware of the scale of the pressure that exists at Barcelona, and I see no problem. He has always affirmed his desire to play for Barcelona, and that is what he is doing now," he added.
Titles came up too. The former Barcelona manager sees Flick's side as the leading candidate for the Spanish league crown, but he had his reservations about their Champions League hopes.
"They are one of the leading candidates to win, but there are other strong teams too, and when we reach the knockout matches in the Champions League, there are always some difficult moments," Koeman said.
He finished by praising the work Xavi Hernandez is doing with the Netherlands national team.
