Seems like Valverde actually blamed it all on De Jong in his post-match interview, saying how the red card hurt us and such, instead of backing his player up like a normal manager would, or even blaming himself for taking off the one attacker who actually defends, ya know. I wonder it it was Pique, or Suarez, or Rakitic, who got that red card, I suspect then the story would've been much different. And this is Valverde's game, have no shame, and blame everything on the players he didn't want in the club in the first place! He did that with Malcom, because he wanted Willian and not him, and because Malcom didn't have enough power, Valverde actually managed to drive him out of the club, even though Malcom was such a good guy, and gave everything he had every time he stepped on to that pitch, he loved and I'm pretty sure he still loves Barca. And with De Jong, it's the same attitude from Valverde towards him, as it was reported, that Valverde actually didn't want Barca to buy De Jong at all, because he didn't think De Jong was GOOD enough!!! Imagine that...I guess De Jong makes too many great tackles and passes and runs too much for Valverde's taste, he likes his midfielders to be more slow and static, and panic every time he gets pressed by an opponent and give the ball away, like his wife Rakishit.
And after this, I'm absolutely 100% sure that the only reason, FDJ is actually playing regularly, is because Bartomeu ordered Valverde to do it, because he was such a big investment. After all, Valverde is their perfect yes man, that's the only reason he's been able to keep his job and still be here after multiple humiliations. But if choosing the transfers was up to Valverde, and Valverde alone, like it is at Liverpool or City, where Klopp and Pep have pretty much the only say in the matter, our starting midfield would still be Rakishit-Busquets-Vidal, with someone like Herrera or Willian on the bench, while we'd sell off Arthur, Alena and Puig, and never bought De Jong.
BUT if Valverde thinks he can outlive De Jong too and drive him out of the club like he did Malcom and so many other great young players, he's got another thing coming. Cause De Jong is pretty much the best young midfielder in the world right now, and he's gonna be here years after this ratcoward of a manager (and also this Board) is gone. De Jong is our future post Messi, alongside Ter Stegen, Arthur, and hopefully Todibo, Alena, Puig, Fati...
