The Anticipation of Frenkie de Jong’s Return: Xavi’s Playing Alternatives

Xavi Hernández has been waiting for Frenkie de Jong’s return for several weeks now. The Dutch midfielder, who tried unsuccessfully two weeks ago to return in the Classic, is right now the man most desired by the staff, teammates and fans. The coach himself has already publicly announced that Frenkie will be recovered for the game against Rayo Vallecano, the first after the national team break. It remains to be seen if it will be to play thirty minutes or more, but what is evident is that Frenkie’s return offers many more playing alternatives to Xavi.

Among the variants offered by the international is the possibility of deploying a team with four midfielders on the field, a formula that was key for Xavi in ​​winning the LaLiga title. An eleven made up of a quartet of midfielders increases the neatness of the game and minimizes the risk of losing the ball, in addition to facilitating superiority in the midfield and the supply of balls to the forwards.

Obviously, this formula would directly affect some player who is now a starter. All the numbers point to Joao Félix. The Portuguese international could be the biggest victim if Xavi finally opts for the four midfielders. And it is no secret that Frenkie, Ilkay Gündogan, Pedri and Gavi would be chosen to form a ‘top’ level midfield.

Surely against Rayo it will be too premature, because Frenkie will have been inactive for almost two months and will hardly start, but facing the next matches, already thinking about the Champions League match against Porto and Atlético de Madrid in LaLiga, the possibility The return of the formula of the four midfielders seems almost certain.

A formula that would also serve to dispel doubts in Xavi’s Barcelona game, while reinforcing his commitment to the most radical Blaugrana DNA.

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2023-11-13 19:56:36
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