Frenkie de Jong's 300th Barcelona appearance sparks debate

Frenkie de Jong played his 300th duel in the shirt of Barcelona, coming on as a substitute in the Champions League match against Aston Villa, according to a report by Diario AS, which has been confirmed by multiple Spanish media outlets.

De Jong's popularity has been on a low point since his arrival in the summer of 2019, with his Barça-periode being scrutinized by the Spanish press. Diario AS notes that the expectations were extremely high, but De Jong has failed to reach the status of Sergio Busquets, with a meager statistic of 20 goals and 31 assists in 300 games. Despite his qualities, De Jong has never been able to break through and establish himself as a key player, with periods of brilliance but also periods of stagnation.

Diario SPORT praised De Jong's performance against Aston Villa, stating that he brought calm and control to the game. La Vanguardia described his appearance as "dynamisch" and noted that he had good minutes as a substitute. Mundo Deportivo, however, saw a frustrated De Jong, who gave a clear message in the game against Aston Villa, showing that he feels he should be starting in the team.

De Jong himself remains unfazed by the criticism, telling Mundo Deportivo that he feels great, strong, enthusiastic, and motivated. He acknowledges that there is always some commotion around him, but is now fit and ready to see what happens next.

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