Struggling Barcelona midfielder pushing for a start vs Valencia amid improving form | OneFootball

Frenkie de Jong has been quite the curious case at Barcelona in the past few weeks.

Subjected to much criticism among fans for his lack of performance and a desire to remain at Barcelona against the club’s wishes, the midfielder has endured a difficult time this season.

But in recent weeks, the midfielder’s form has improved noticeably and it has been quite apparent that coach Hansi Flick trusts him more now, reports Diario SPORT.

De Jong closes gap with Casado

In light of de Jong’s recent exploits, de Jong has admittedly closed the gap with Marc Casado, who is currently Barcelona’s first-choice option in the number six position.

De Jong’s slight ascension within the Barcelona ranks has been backed by numbers as well. In 2025 so far, the midfielder has featured in 272 minutes of action, as opposed to the 359 minutes he featured in the entire season until December.

Frenkie de Jong’s form has improved in 2025 (Photo by Srdjan Stevanovic/Getty Images)

This has many implications and possibilities, one of which may even tempt Flick to consider the possibility to hand de Jong a start in Barcelona’s upcoming league game against Valencia.

De Jong’s last start for Barcelona came two and a half months ago and now could be an opportune time to hand the midfielder another chance, given his recent form.

While de Jong has flourished lately, the same cannot be said for Marc Casado. The youngster has been brilliant for the majority of the campaign, but his form has dipped noticeably in the last few weeks.

This may further tempt Flick to start with de Jong against Valencia, with Pedri completing the double-pivot.

It might prove to be a risky move, especially considering the fact this will be a must-win game for the Catalans. But if executed well, this would pay off greatly.