De Jong: I won't play in defence long-term, and everyone knows this

Frenkie de Jong, the midfielder for FC Barcelona, has talked about the possibility of playing in a defensive position in the near future, confirming his readiness to follow the coach's instructions if it benefits the team. However, he emphasized that playing in defense will not be his role in the long term.

The Dutch player spoke about the possibility of playing as a right-back: "If the coach asks me to play in defence, I will play in defence, but this won't last in the long term, as everyone knows I am a midfielder."

He added about his previous experiences in the back line: "Other coaches have done this before, as at Ajax and FC Barcelona I sometimes played as a centre-back, either with Ronald in the past or with Xavi on some occasions."

Frenkie de Jong spoke about his physical condition after recovering from injury, confirming that he feels strong and ready, but noted that he needs to regain his match rhythm, saying: "I feel that I am in good shape and physically strong, and I need to know my level through the rhythm of matches."

Regarding his ability to play a full match for 90 minutes, he explained: "We will see, I feel that I am in good shape."

Frenkie de Jong has responded to questions regarding receiving greater appreciation from his fellow players compared to fans, stating that many do not watch the matches in full and do not grasp the details that occur on the pitch.

He said: "People don't really watch the matches; there are very few who follow the full ninety minutes. Those people don't truly understand the matter, nor do they realize what happens on the pitch or the reasons behind the decisions."

Regarding the assessment of his level through goals and assists, he added: "The easiest way to evaluate a player is of course to look at whether he scores goals or creates them, but for me, these numbers are much lower, of course."

In closing his remarks, Frenkie de Jong touched on the possibility of taking the captain's armband for the Netherlands in the absence of Virgil van Dijk, explaining that the final decision rests with the head coach. He said: "The coach should be the one to announce that, but it could happen."