FC Barcelona experienced a rather more bitter return to the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys than expected. What was supposed to be a grand celebration, accompanied by an important sporting performance to consolidate sensations ahead of the start of LaLiga EA Sports 2024/25, ended up being a rather unpleasant spectacle for the Barça fans. In their first test in front of their fans, Hansi Flick's team crashed to a resounding 0-3 defeat against AS Monaco, thus ending a streak of 12 consecutive years without losing in this traditional preseason friendly.
However, setting aside the result, it is important to note that the attendees at Montjuïc for this match against the Monegasques, prior to the actual game, experienced quite pleasant moments. As is customary, this tournament edition served as the presentation of the squad for the upcoming season, in this case, the 2024/25 campaign, placing special emphasis on new faces: Hansi Flick, Pau Víctor, and Dani Olmo.
Furthermore, this squad presentation allows Barça fans to show their affection or discontent towards certain players. In fact, it is worth mentioning the cases of Lamine Yamal and Pablo Gavi, the players who received the loudest ovation from those present at the Barça stadium, as well as, of course, the fans did not hesitate to make their presence felt during the introduction of figures like Marc-André ter Stegen and his impeccable speech, Robert Lewandowski, Pedri González, Alejandro Balde, Pau Cubarsi, and Jules Koundé, not to mention the stellar signings, of course.
Players 'condemned' by the Barça fans at the Gamper
However, it was not all smooth sailing for some players, as several of them, of questionable form, did not receive much affection from the fans. For instance, the case of Vitor Roque, whose future as a forward for the Barça team seems more than doomed, as he received only a few applause during his presentation.
However, there were two cases where Barça fans made their stance clearer: Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong and French defender Clément Lenglet, who, after being announced by the stadium's public address system, received some slight jeers. It's worth highlighting that these were the only instances where such a situation occurred.
What could be behind the discontent of Barça fans with these players?
It's important to note that both players have a rather specific situation within the Barça squad. At this point, Lenglet seems to be in a more compromising situation, as the Catalan team has shown a clear willingness to part ways with him, given that he is not part of the sporting project and his wages have a significant impact on the club's salary scale. On the other hand, they have not been able to find a destination for the Beauvais native precisely because of his high salary, amounts that not many teams are willing to pay, and where they are willing to do so, as in Saudi Arabia, the player is not interested.
Now, regarding De Jong, the discontent with him may not be related to his performance, as it is known that the Dutchman, in the prime of his physical condition, is a top midfielder and extremely useful in the Barça project, but rather due to all the uncertainty surrounding his contract extension and salary adjustment. It should be remembered that the Arkel native is the highest earner in the Barça squad, and on more than one occasion, there have been discussions about renegotiating his contract, a situation that seems to never reach a positive resolution and has led to him being seen as an attractive asset for sale, valued, of course, also for his high market value.