Frenkie de Jong's Frustration: "Don't You Feel ashamed?"
The Dutch midfielder took advantage of the press conference before the match against Napoli to settle scores with the press over everything that has been published about his future.
Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong, of Barcelona, expressed his frustration with the press on Tuesday, stating that "many lies are being told" regarding his contract, renewal, and situation at the Spanish club, and he asserted that it is "a shame".
De Jong led a very tense press conference on the eve of the Champions League match between Napoli and Barcelona. In a small room at the Diego Armando Maradona stadium, full of journalists, he criticized what he considers "lies" from the media.
"The truth is that lately I'm getting a bit annoyed, I'm a bit angry with the press in general because there are many things being said that are not true. I cannot understand that some of you tell lies and are not ashamed to say them. It's getting on my nerves a bit," he began, bluntly.
"You are talking a lot about my contract, my salary... there is a lot of smoke, a lot of lies. That I am earning forty-something million... this is really far from what I earn, they have invented a story that is not true," he added.
"I am very happy at Barcelona, it is the club of my dreams and I hope to stay here for many years," he emphasized.
Regarding the possibility that this information comes from within the club itself, he pointed out: "I don't know if it comes from inside the club, but I hope not. I know that many things are invented because you write things that are not true. You are doing it with many more people and I don't have the feeling that it is going to change, but you have to change it. You are inventing things that are not true."
"I consider the club as my teammates, the people of the day, and this is wonderful. I enjoy it a lot. If there are opinions against me, I don't care because everyone can have theirs, but the lies you have to change them. You are writing a lot of lies, why are you doing it?" he argued.
About the match against Napoli, he stated: "We are very excited, it's been a couple of years since we've been here and we're looking forward to playing."
"Napoli has a very good team, with top-level players, and they were champions (of Serie A) last year. They are struggling, but they are in the round of 16, it's going to be a tough match," he highlighted.
"Kvara is a top-level player, he has one-on-one skills, he makes the difference. He is a player to consider," he emphasized, and added: "We prepare all the matches well, not just the 'Champions' ones, but these are special. Let's see if it goes well tomorrow."