Frenkie de Jong reacts after Barcelona 3-5 Villarreal: “This can’t happen at a top club”

It was another night to forget for FC Barcelona as they fell to a shock 3-5 loss to Villarreal at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys in La Liga.

In what was their first home game of 2024, the Blaugrana were pegged back in the first half by a Gerard Moreno goal before former La Masia talent Ilias Akhomach doubled Villarreal’s lead nine minutes into the second half.

From that position, Barcelona fought back brilliantly to score three goals in 11 minutes as Ilkay Gundogan, Pedri, and an Eric Bailly own goal put the hosts in front.

But Villarreal were not one to give up and equalised through Goncalo Guedes before a complete defensive capitulation in stoppage time from Barcelona saw the Yellow Submarines score twice and secure a 3-5 win.

Frenkie de Jong dejected after loss

Speaking after the game, one of Barcelona’s captains, Frenkie de Jong was completely dejected as he claimed what happened today cannot happen at a top club.

“This can’t happen at a top club. If you come back and you’re 3-2 up, you can’t have that much space on a counter-attack. It wasn’t a good game from our side, but if at some point you go 3-2 up after going 0-2, you can’t lose 3-5,” he said.

“That can’t happen in a top team. If you have experience, it can’t happen.”

When asked to explain Alexander Sorloth’s goal in stoppage time, which made it 3-4 for Villarreal, the Netherlands international said:

“That’s what I was saying. If you come back and you’re 3-2 up, you can’t give that much space on a counter-attack. You have to do that much better. It’s been happening to us too much this year”

Before the capitulation in stoppage time, Barcelona had a penalty call for a handball taken away as the referee waved it away after looking at the VAR monitor, having initially given the spot kick.

On whether it affected the team in the final minutes, De Jong said: “If it’s a penalty, it would be in our favour. But he looked at the VAR and decided it wasn’t a penalty. We have to accept it and respect it.”

With Xavi under pressure, there have been questions about his future as well as talk about whether the team still trusts him.

But De Jong insisted that the squad was fully behind the manager and his staff and the recent results were the players’ fault.

“Yes, we have full trust in Xavi and his staff. They are doing a good job. It’s the players’ fault, we have all the conditions and if it doesn’t work out it’s our fault.”

Source: AS