“He has to understand that I will call him out publicly”: Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong takes on journalists in interview

The Dutchman is annoyed. Annoyed by his current injury, but above all by numerous reports about him. De Jong names one journalist and launches a fierce attack on him.

"I will no longer simply accept that, because he has to understand that I will call him out publicly if he spreads things that do not correspond to the truth," de Jong said in an interview with the club's own media.

The "he" is Gerard Romero, a journalist and well-known YouTuber, whom de Jong accuses of a string of false claims.

"It started with him saying that I refused to play against Atletico in the Champions League last season," de Jong said. "That is false, simply false, just not true. I do not understand how anyone can come up with something like that."

De Jong said he understood that people who had only read Romero's report would be angry with him, which is why he felt he had to speak out publicly, also to protect his own image.

Claim: poor relationship with Hansi Flick?

That was not all. "Then he said that my relationship with the coach was very bad, which is completely false," de Jong continued. He said his relationship with coach Hansi Flick was the exact opposite. "I speak with him a lot. You can ask him about all of this. That is completely false."

The midfielder also hit back at reports that his standing at the club was poor. "And then it was said that I would get a punishment. That was Gerard Romero again, and I want to mention that because I believe he has lied more often in the past."

De Jong said he wanted to get his frustration and anger off his chest with the interview so he could focus fully on his recovery and the upcoming season. The 29-year-old midfielder is suffering from a knee injury that he sustained at the World Cup with the Netherlands national team.

What happens if Barca sign Rodri?

He called the situation "hugely annoying", but said he is following a clear plan with the medical team at Barca and is doing everything to get back on the pitch soon. De Jong did not give a timeframe for his comeback.

Now heading into his eighth season with the Catalans, the elegant technician joined from Ajax Amsterdam in the summer of 2019 for more than €80 million. De Jong has won the Spanish title three times and the Copa del Rey twice with Barca. Challenging for the Champions League title is the declared goal.

More recently, reports claimed de Jong could leave Barcelona because there was no longer any room for him, should world champion Rodri indeed still join Flick's team. The content and placement of the interview instead suggest de Jong's time at Barca may not be over. He has now made 297 competitive appearances for the Spanish champions of the past two years. Last season, he featured in 25 of a possible 38 league matches because of several injury layoffs.