De Jong Reiterates His Position on the Miami Match, but Accepts the Decision
FC Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong has reaffirmed his opposition to the celebration of the match between Barcelona and Villarreal in Miami. Although he maintains his initial position, the Dutch player acknowledges that, as a professional, he must abide by the decisions of the board.
I still think what I said, that hasn’t changed. But we are players and, in the end, we have to play where they tell us.
Frenkie de Jong
De Jong, who signed a contract extension with the Catalan club until 2029, expressed his opinion on LaLiga’s decision to take the match to the United States. The player criticized the increase in travel and the distortion that playing an away game in neutral territory implies.Frenkie de Jong ha expresado claramente sus sentimientos sobre el traslado de partidos de LaLiga al extranjero.The president of Barcelona, Joan Laporta, has expressed his respect for De Jong’s opinion, although he believes that the possibility of expanding in the North American market is beneficial for the club.
LaLiga has been trying to move a league match to the United States since 2017. After the approval of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and UEFA, the match between Villarreal and Barcelona will be played at Hard Rock Stadium on December 20.
De Jong has extended his link with Barça for three more years, after signing a contract extension this week. Sources indicate that the terms are slightly reduced, given the structure of his previous contract, signed during the pandemic.Frenkie de Jong ha firmado un contrato que lo mantendrá en el Barcelona hasta 2029.The Dutch midfielder, who arrived at the club in 2019, has played more than 250 matches with the blaugrana shirt and has won six titles, including two Leagues. His goal is to conquer the Champions League.
“As a child, I dreamed of playing for Barcelona and now I am fulfilling that dream. I want to stay here as long as possible and win many titles,” added De Jong. “I hope I can reach 10 years here [when the contract expires]. And I hope to conquer many more things here. Of course, I haven’t won the Champions League here in Barcelona yet. That’s a big goal for us.”
