Hansi Flick take drastic action and strip Frenkie de Jong of the captaincy at Barcelona: this is the reason

Frenkie de Jong is no longer FC Barcelona's (vice-)captain, as became clear earlier this week. Radio station Cadena SER have more on the situation and reveal Hansi Flick's reason for the far-reaching decision.

At Barcelona, the longest-serving player would usually wear the captain's armband. De Jong would therefore have been first in line for next season, but Flick has decided otherwise. Raphinha is his first captain, with Eric Garcia and Pedri as back-up options.

That is not only down to De Jong's lengthy absence. According to Cadena SER, Flick is hugely irritated by the Dutchman's decision, and by the KNVB medical staff's decision, to keep playing at the World Cup with knee problems.

"This is a warning from Hansi Flick. Not because he did not undergo surgery (De Jong is choosing conservative treatment, ed.), because in the end every player may decide for himself what he wants, but because of the way the matters were handled," Santi Ovalle told Cadena SER.

Only last week, De Jong spoke about all the commotion surrounding his injury and said his relationship with Flick is 'very good'. "I speak to him a lot. You can ask him yourself. It is being said that my relationship with the coach is very bad. That is absolutely not true."

Still, De Jong is expected to face a difficult period in Barcelona. Not only must he fight his way back from injury again, the arrival of Rodri also makes the situation more complicated. The Spanish holding midfielder is one of the best in the world in his position.

That said, Flick's decision to take the captain's armband away from De Jong does not automatically mean he will ignore him completely. "Hansi Flick is a coach who values Frenkie de Jong highly and he will continue to count on him and regard him as an important part of the squad when he has recovered," Ovalle concluded.