Barcelona captain breaks down hard fought win over Rayo Vallecano – ‘Nothing to celebrate’

Barcelona captain Frenkie de Jong, who has recently taken over the role from Marc Casado in the last few matches, shared his thoughts following the team’s narrow 1-0 victory over Rayo Vallecano. 

Despite securing an important three points and maintaining their position at the top of the table, he emphasised that the season is far from over. The standings remain tight, and there is still a long way to go before anything can be celebrated.

“Happy with the win and first place, but there’s still a long way to go, we’re all very close in the standings and there’s nothing to celebrate,” he said after the match as reported by Mundo Deportivo.

Reflecting on the match

Reflecting on the match, he acknowledged the difficulties faced against Rayo, a team known for their high pressing and intense style of play. 

Barcelona struggled to bring the ball out comfortably, finding it challenging to break through their opponent’s defensive setup. 

However, he stressed the importance of grinding out results in these types of matches, as winning difficult games is crucial for achieving success by the end of the season.

“Rayo is a good team, they press hard and we have had a hard time getting the ball out, but to win something at the end of the season we have to win these games.”

Importance of the clean sheet

While Barcelona created several opportunities, their finishing let them down on the night. Fortunately, their strong defensive display ensured they kept a clean sheet, which ultimately secured the win. 

De Jong highlighted how crucial it is to remain solid at the back, especially in tightly contested encounters where scoring chances are not easily converted.

“We created chances, but we didn’t score and on a day like this, keeping a clean sheet allowed us to win.”

On a personal note, he addressed his competition with Casado, who replaced him towards the end of the match. 

Both players received applause from the fans, and De Jong acknowledged the talent within the squad. He expressed confidence in Casado’s ability and recognised that every player in the team has the quality to contribute when called upon.

“Casa has a lot of quality, like the whole squad, we can all contribute,” he concluded.