Frenkie de Jong is hyperactive... but does Xavi's square midfield work?

The departure of Sergio Busquets has had an immediate impact on Frenkie de Jong's role at Barcelona. The former Ajax player now takes on a more central role in the team's midfield. According to data from Catalonia Radio's LaTdT, in Pamplona, he had 125 touches on the ball, a figure that Busquets did not even reach during his time at Barcelona, despite surpassing 100 on several occasions.

De Jong made a significant shift last season when Xavi opted for the formula of four midfielders. Playing in a deeper role, alongside a more positional midfielder, Frenkie's performance improved significantly. This was evident again against Osasuna: De Jong thrives when he is connected to the game and has the freedom to break lines with his dribbles.

The conclusion with De Jong is that he never abandoned being himself. Even when asked to play a more positional and one-touch style, he didn't quite become that player. Xavi recognized this and, after trying to mould him, ultimately accepted Frenkie's nature and provided him with the context he needed.

The conversations between the two were constant last season, and the Dutchman's message remained consistent: he didn't feel comfortable as an interior player appearing between the lines; he needed to feel the game.

Xavi himself explained the process to SPORT at the end of the last season: "When I arrived, we asked for a more positional game, patience, receiving behind the pivots, and I think he is now happier on the field. We have found a system of play where the interior can drop to the base. The winger moves inside, and the full-back stretches, and then Frenkie is in his natural habitat. I've had many talks with him and tried to understand him."

The result is the hyperactive De Jong we see now, which also has a side effect on Xavi's midfield square. Against Osasuna, the numbers emphasize the dynamics: De Jong led the midfield with 125 interventions, far ahead of Oriol Romeu (87), Gavi (68), and Gündogan (54). As expected, players who play in the deeper positions of the square are more involved in the game, while those who play between the lines (Xavi asks them to exploit the spaces) are less involved in the game.

Surprisingly, Gündogan's number of interventions is notable, a player who feels comfortable when he has a high level of involvement. The German was less involved but made decisive contributions.

As for Gavi, he doesn't seem entirely comfortable in this position, where he often receives the ball with his back to the goal. He improved when he moved back in position after Joao Félix came on. Against teams with a deep defensive block, midfielders who play in the upper corners of the midfield square struggle because they have limited space, as was the case at El Sadar. Furthermore, despite the commitment to four midfielders, Barcelona is finding it challenging to dominate matches more than necessary.

Xavi still has work to do to ensure that the square's formula flows as he would like this season, but there is no doubt that Barcelona has transitioned from being Busquets' team to being Frenkie de Jong's team, with him being the MVP at El Sadar.