Frenkie de Jong says Barcelona scrutiny is hard to escape after reaching 300 appearances

Frenkie de Jong says he is subjected to more speculation and criticism than some of his Barcelona team-mates, describing the constant attention around him as a source of frustration.

The Netherlands midfielder made the comments after helping Barcelona beat Aston Villa 3-0 in the Champions League, a significant occasion for the 29-year-old as he made his 300th appearance for the club.

“I feel there is always more noise around me compared with other players,” de Jong told Spanish newspaper Marca.

“There is always some noise surrounding me, especially when I am not there. For one reason or another, it happens during the summer when there are no matches, or when I am injured.”

De Jong has been absent during periods because of injury, while his form and role in Barcelona’s team have also been regularly debated. He believes the level of discussion about him is disproportionate, although he acknowledged that his perception may influence how he views the attention.

“I feel very good and very strong at the moment,” he said. “Is there noise around me? I have the feeling that there is always more talk about me than about others, but perhaps that is just how I feel when people talk about me. These are things I do not have much influence over.”

The midfielder also sought to end questions over his fitness, insisting that previous knee problems no longer affect him.

“I feel very good. I feel strong and enthusiastic, and I have a lot of motivation,” he said. “I do not feel any problem with my knee. What happened is in the past.”

De Jong joined Barcelona from Ajax in 2019 for 75 million euros. He has since scored 20 goals and provided 31 assists in 300 appearances for the Catalan club.

Although Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has occasionally used him in central defence, de Jong said midfield remains the position in which he feels most comfortable. He added that he was willing to adapt whenever the team required it.

“I feel more comfortable in midfield, but I will help the team in any position where it needs me,” he said.

De Jong also praised Barcelona’s victory over Aston Villa, who had won all of their previous matches in the competition. The result maintained Barcelona’s perfect start to their Champions League campaign.