Frenkie de Jong explains why he asked to be substituted against Greece: ‘I’ve just come back from an injury’

Frenkie de Jong explains why he asked to be substituted against Greece: ‘I’ve just come back from an injury’ Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong has explained why he requested to be substituted at half-time during the Netherlands’ 7-0 victory over Greece, revealing that the decision was just precautionary after his recent return from injury. The 29-year-old captained the Netherlands in the Nations League encounter but did not feature after the interval.  His withdrawal initially raised concerns about his fitness, particularly after Netherlands head coach Xavi Hernandez revealed that the midfielder had experienced back discomfort before the match. However, De Jong has now offered further context, explaining that his limited match fitness, recent injury history and demanding international schedule made continuing unnecessary with the Netherlands already leading comfortably. De Jong explains why he asked to come off against Greece Speaking after the Netherlands’ emphatic victory, De Jong was asked whether his substitution was precautionary or whether he had experienced a physical problem. “Well, it was 5-0 at half-time. I’d only just come back from injury and everything, so it was fine as it was. “Yes. I mean, I’ve only just come back from an injury. It’s not as if I’ve got much match fitness yet. Frenkie de Jong was taken off at half-time. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images) “And with all this travelling and international fixtures, and my history of injuries as well, of course, there was no need to take any risks,” he explained. The midfielder’s explanation clearly shows that the comfortable scoreline played an important role in the decision.  Rather than pushing himself through another 45 minutes, he preferred to avoid unnecessary physical demands while returning to full fitness. De Jong outlines Xavi’s philosophy and long-term ambitions Apart from his fitness, De Jong also discussed the Netherlands’ impressive performance and the playing philosophy Xavi wants to establish.  He credited the team’s positioning and clinical finishing for the result. “I think today, quite simply, we got it right in terms of how we positioned ourselves. “And, of course, we also finished off the chances we created, the first one straight away. That always helps. Things went well in terms of the football, and it was really beautiful.” Netherlands beat Greece 7-0 in UEFA Nations League. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images) De Jong also explained the principles behind Xavi’s approach, stating, “Yes, it depends, of course, on the match each time. But I think the vision is clear: we want to attack, build from the back, press high up the pitch, and be in control. “We still have a long way to go. It’s not as if we’ve got there yet just because we’ve played one good match. As I said recently, the last real test was the World Cup. “And we’re now in a process of continuous improvement, so that we’ll be good enough – hopefully – in two years’ time to compete for the title.” Furthermore, he also described the victory as an encouraging step in the team’s development. “It’s a good step, and tonight it looked very good. Now we simply have to keep going,” he concluded. Source: ESPN