Barcelona Leaders Denies Dispute With Players After Losing In The Champions League

Barcelona player Frenkie de Jong (right) is reportedly arguing with Deco (doc. Barcelona).

JAKARTA - Barcelona's defeat to Royalikarp with a score of 2-3 in the 2023/2024 Champions League still leaves problems.

Rumors circulated that Barca's Football Director, Deco, was noisy with midfielder Frenkie de Jong who was absent from the match. However, Deco denied the rumors.

Barca's poor result in the last match of the Champions League, Thursday, December 14, 2023, early morning WIB, led to a bit of tension within the club. Coach Xavi Hernandez was the target of criticism.

The reason is, Barca suffered a second defeat in a row. Previously, Xavi's troops were forced to surrender 2-4 at home to Girona in La Liga 2023/2024. The defeat continued when Barca played an away match against Antwerp.

It hasn't stopped there, now club officials, Deco, are said to have had an argument with De Jong. Because of this, the Dutch midfielder did not go to Belgium because he was not feeling well.

Knowing this, Deco immediately contacted De Jong. He said, "What do you mean you are sick? Did the doctor give a sick certificate?"

Deco's tone of speech seemed to show that the former Barca player in the 2000s era did not believe De Jong was sick. He also questioned the sick certificate of this 26-year-old player.

Repotnya lagi, Barca yang tidak diperkuat De Jong menelankan kekalahan dari Antwerp. Ini menjadikan dia dianggap sebagai salah satu sumber kesalahan tim.

However, Deco denied the news of the dispute with the players. According to him, they were indeed involved in a telephone conversation, but there was no tension between them.

Deco, further, said he called because the former Ajax Amsterdam player was not seen at the airport ahead of his departure to Belgium. The team doctor, Ricard Pruna, then informed De Jong that De Jong was sick.

This is what made Deco personally contact De Jong. The player himself also explained the reason he did not join the team in Belgium. Deco also denied that their conversation was filled with tension.

Barca's defeat toikarp actually had no effect. Barca still won the group and qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League.

Moreover, Xavi fielded players from the La Masia Academy who previously strengthened Spain U-17 at the 2023 U-17 World Cup in Indonesia.