Soccer Football - LaLiga - Real Madrid v FC Barcelona - Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain - October 26, 2024 FC Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski celebrates scoring their second goal with Frenkie de Jong REUTERS/Juan Medina/File Photo
(Reuters) - Barcelona have stiff competition for places in midfield and out-of-favour Frenkie de Jong must work to nail down a first-team spot at the LaLiga club, manager Hansi Flick said on Friday.
De Jong has been sidelined for several months this year due to a persistent ankle injury, which also kept him out of action for the Netherlands and meant he missed Euro 2024.
Since his return in October, the 27-year-old has largely featured off the bench, making just two starts, and he was booed during Barcelona's 3-0 Champions League win over French club Brest on Tuesday.
"He must deal with this situation. He must regain his confidence. We look at every game to win. We want to play with the best team and based on that we make the eleven," Flick told reporters ahead of a home game against Las Palmas on Saturday.
"He will be back, but it takes time. For me he was injured and now he is progressing well, and personally three or four weeks ago, when he started playing, he had a different mentality.
"Now he's back after the international break and we support him, but we have a lot of midfielders. Those who are at 100% will play. He has to show the level. He is progressing, we follow him and we support him."
Barcelona, who will be looking to get back to winning ways in the league after a loss and a draw in their last two fixtures, will be able to call upon teenage forward Lamine Yamal, who has returned from injury, for the match against Las Palmas.
"He's back, he's ready to play. I don't know if he will start. But he will play," Flick said.
"I hope the team is well prepared. It showed in the session. Some players are coming back. We are in a good situation."
Barcelona have a hectic run of fixtures coming up in December with five games in 19 days, including a Champions League game at Borussia Dortmund and a league match against Atletico Madrid.
"I think I speak for the whole team when I say that the best thing today is to win tomorrow's game," Flick said.
"We don't care what happens next Tuesday or in Dortmund. What concerns us and occupies us is tomorrow's game. We want to build on what we saw against Brest.
"We want to show this, also to the fans. Tomorrow the best players will play, and those who are the best."
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Toby Davis)
