Balde surprised by Flick's decision on De Jong's position against Atlético

Hans Flick's decision to deploy Frenkie de Jong at right-back during the match against Atlético surprised the players, especially Alejandro Balde, who watched the decision in astonishment from the bench.

Mundo Deportivo reports that Dazn footage revealed Flick informing the Dutch player of his new role during the break, after FC Barcelona struggled on the right flank during the match.

Frenkie de Jong immediately accepted his coach's instructions, and a smile appeared on his face, before he informed Gavi and Szczęsny that he would be playing in the right-back position, much to the surprise of some of his teammates, while Tonkára relayed the news to Àlex Campos, and Alejandro Balde listened attentively.

The newspaper pointed out that Balde may have wondered why he was not chosen to participate, especially since João Cancelo could have occupied the right-back position, with Balde playing in the left-back position, instead of pushing Frenkie de Jong into the right flank.

However, Flick may have wanted to give de Jong a dual role, combining the duties of a right-back with support for the midfield during attacking transitions, which explains his choice for this position.