“Must be important to the team”

“Frenkie is a genius. It must be very important for the team “, summed up Xavi, who sent a message to all those who are thinking of making a drawer with the Dutchman in the summer. De Jong scored the second goal, participated directly in the action of the fourth, was tireless in the pressure and also felt powerful again in driving with the ball. In addition, he was the player who made the most accurate passes in the whole match (67), at the same time as he was the one who gave the most key passes – which end with a shot – with three. “Every time he understands better what we ask of him,” said Xavi.

De Jong scored the second goal, while the first was scored by Jordi Alba. Although Barça controlled much of the possession (56%), the team opened the scoring on the counterattack and with the left side finishing a decisive action from the right flank of the attack and also with the leg right. An unusual script that the Hospitalet defender wanted to simplify: “We have to know how to have the ball in the key moments of the match, but we also have fast people in front and we have to know how to take advantage of it”. Xavi defended the same thing: “Knowing how to take advantage of players who do well in space is also part of the model”. Satisfied, Alba also wanted to highlight the work of the whole team: “We have competed again in Europe, that this is not always easy”.

Barça will meet their rival today

This Friday (1pm), in Nyon (Switzerland), Barça will know who their rival will be in the round of 16. The first leg will be played on March 10 at the Camp Nou and the return leg on March 17. It will be one of these eight teams: Red Star, Eintracht Frankfurt, Galatasaray, Bayer Leverkusen, Lyon, Monaco, Spartak Moscow and West Ham.