Frenkie de Jong Calls Out Journalist Gerard Romero Over False Claims

Frenkie de Jong has dropped his calm, measured public persona and gone on the offensive.

In a forthright interview with Barcelona’s club media, the Dutch midfielder directly called out journalist Gerard Romero, accusing him of spreading “false” stories and making it clear he will no longer stay silent.

De Jong names names

De Jong didn’t speak in generalities. He went straight for Romero and a specific claim that has followed him for months.

“For example, Gerard Romero. He said, and he started all of this, that I refused to play against Atletico in the Champions League last year. That’s false. It’s false. It’s simply not true,” he said.

The midfielder, who has previously voiced frustration with sections of the media, pushed back hard against the idea that he would ever turn down a big European night for Barcelona.

“As I said, my dream is to play for Barca, especially in important Champions League matches. Of course I want to play. I don’t understand how you can say that I refused to play. And obviously, if people get angry and if that’s the only information they have, I understand. That’s why I’m explaining.”

The pressure around his future and fitness has been relentless. This time, he chose not to let it wash over him.

“Completely false”: coach and club relationships defended

Once he started, De Jong didn’t stop at one accusation. He dismantled a series of narratives he says have been built on lies.

“Then he said that my relationship with the coach is very bad, which is completely false. I have a very good relationship with the coach. I talk to him a lot. You can ask him about all of this. It’s completely false.”

The same goes, he insists, for his standing inside the club hierarchy.

“They’ve also said that my relationship with the club is bad, which is also not true, because I talk a lot with people at the club, with the directors and so on. Then they said I’m being punished. That was Gerard Romero again, and I want to mention it because I think he’s already told more lies in the past.”

The tone hardened as he delivered his warning shot.

“But I’m not going to let it slide anymore, because he needs to understand that if he puts things out that aren’t true, I’m going to call him out on it.”

A line in the sand, drawn publicly.

Anger out, recovery in focus

Behind all of this sits a player currently sidelined with a knee injury, watching the noise build around him while he works to get back.

De Jong admitted he needed to “get that anger off his chest” so he can clear his head and concentrate on his rehabilitation. He stressed he is doing everything he can to return as quickly as possible.

The message is blunt: question his form if you like, debate his role if you must, but when it comes to his commitment to Barcelona and the Champions League, Frenkie de Jong isn’t prepared to let anyone else write the story.