{"id":52553,"date":"2025-12-03T04:31:00","date_gmt":"2025-12-03T03:31:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/weisetech.dev\/fc-barcelona-noticias\/en\/eric-garcia-continues-to-perform-as-frenkie-de-jong-replacement_315408_102\/"},"modified":"2025-12-03T04:31:00","modified_gmt":"2025-12-03T03:31:00","slug":"eric-garcia-continues-to-perform-as-frenkie-de-jong-replacement_315408_102","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fcbarcelonanoticias.com\/en\/laliga\/eric-garcia-continues-to-perform-as-frenkie-de-jong-replacement_315408_102.html","title":{"rendered":"Eric Garc\u00eda once again replaced Frenkie de Jong in midfield"},"content":{"rendered":"

Eric Garc\u00eda was once again Bar\u00e7a’s ‘5’ against Atl\u00e9tico (3-1). The Martorell native was chosen in the absence of Frenkie de Jong and completed another good match as a pivot<\/h2> \r\n
\r\n \r\n \r\n Calendar of FC Barcelona <\/a>\r\n<\/div>

Hansi Flick<\/strong> once again opted for Eric Garc\u00eda<\/strong> as the defensive pivot for FC Barcelona<\/strong> in a difficult match. Just as against Athletic Club and Chelsea, the player from Martorell was the ‘5’ chosen by the coaching staff against Atl\u00e9tico de Madrid (3-1)<\/a>, this time alongside Pedri Gonz\u00e1lez in midfield.<\/p>

With Frenkie de Jong absent due to a fever, the ’24’ returned to midfield and completed a good match, despite the difficulty of playing with a protective mask after the nasal fracture he suffered in Bruges before the November break.On Tuesday, **Eric completed 40 of 47 passes (85%), made 8 defensive actions, 4 clearances, and 2 recoveries**. Additionally, he won 4 out of 6 individual duels (67%) and committed only one foul during the 90 minutes. The Martorell native has started in the last 7 league matches and in 4 of the 5 Champions League games the team has played.<\/p>

Eric Garc\u00eda solidifies his lead in minutes played<\/h2>

In that regard, Garc\u00eda became the first Bar\u00e7a player to surpass the 1,500-minute mark this season<\/strong>. The 24-year-old defender is also the only player in the Blaugrana squad<\/a> to have seen action in all of Bar\u00e7a’s matches in the 25\/26 season (20), with a total of 17 starts<\/p>

After a winter transfer window in which he was very close to returning to Girona<\/strong>, Eric has become Hansi Flick’s most reliable defender. Last season, he was already a key player in the final stretch, filling in for Jules Kound\u00e9<\/strong> at right-back, and after I\u00f1igo Mart\u00ednez<\/strong>‘s departure, he has taken on notable leadership in defense.<\/p>

Whether as a center-back, full-back, or defensive midfielder, the player from Martorell is always alert to cover for a teammate and provide safe distribution for the team. He is also capable of joining the attack from time to time and has already scored one goal (against Oviedo) and provided one assist (against Athletic) so far this season.<\/p>

Bar\u00e7a Players with Most Minutes in 25\/26:<\/strong><\/u><\/p>

  1. Eric Garc\u00eda<\/strong>: 1,510 (20 matches)<\/li> \t
  2. Jules Kound\u00e9<\/strong>: 1,415 (19 matches)<\/li> \t
  3. Pau Cubars\u00ed<\/strong>: 1,293 (16 matches)<\/li> \t
  4. Marcus Rashford<\/strong>: 1,248 (19 matches)<\/li> \t
  5. Lamine Yamal<\/strong>: 1,237 (15 matches)<\/li> <\/ol>

    Frenkie de Jong missed his third consecutive league match<\/h2>

    Frenkie de Jong, for his part, missed his third consecutive league match against Atl\u00e9tico. The club confirmed his absence for matchday 19 due to fever<\/strong> and, after the game, Flick confirmed that the Dutchman had not slept well on Monday night. However, the manager is confident of having him back for next Saturday, for the visit to Betis<\/a>.<\/p>

    The ’21’ also missed the match against **Alav\u00e9s** (3-1) for personal reasons and was out, due to suspension, against **Athletic** (4-0). De Jong was present last week in the defeat against **Chelsea** (3-0) and, previously, only missed the duels against Levante (paternity) and Valencia (injury).<\/p>