Barcelona ended Brest’s unbeaten run in the new Champions League with a 3-0 win on Tuesday evening, handing the French club their first defeat of the campaign.
The match, part of the fifth round of the group stage, was held at the Olympic Stadium of Louis Companys.
As a result of the victory, Barcelona reached 12 points, temporarily moving into second place, while Brest dropped to ninth with 10 points.
According to the Spanish newspaper El Nacional, Frenkie de Jong is not in top physical or mental form, and was met with boos from the crowd when he entered the match.
The report also mentioned that the Dutch midfielder was seen crying in the locker room after the game, visibly upset by the fans’ reaction.
German coach Hansi Flick, upon learning of de Jong’s distress, asked the players to support him during this tough time. Flick expressed his belief that de Jong will regain his form and return to the starting lineup soon.
At the post-match press conference, Flick responded to a question about his concern for de Jong’s well-being, saying:
“No, what I would say is that Frenkie is working hard to get back. He’s putting in a lot of effort, and I believe he’s not yet at 100 percent.
We are giving him opportunities in both training and matches to regain his best form. That’s our job as coaches, and I’m confident he will succeed.”
