Frenkie de Jong was set to make his 300th appearance for FC Barcelona in a Champions League match against Aston Villa, having played 299 times for the club since joining in 2019. He has become one of Barcelona’s captains and holds the club appearance record for a Dutch player, surpassing Philip Cocu’s 292 matches. His first major trophy with Barcelona was the 2021 Copa del Rey, in whose final he scored and provided two assists.

De Jong said playing alongside Lionel Messi had made football easier and recalled Messi encouraging him before his final goal. He described Barcelona as his dream club and said winning the Champions League remained a major ambition. He also hoped to reach at least 500 appearances for the club, depending on how long he remained fit and at a high level.