We might've found Xavi's sons at Barca this year. Indeed Jules Kounde and Frenkie De Jong are the two players the outgoing Barca manager hasn't contemplated substituting since the start of 2024.
Both players have featured in 90+ minutes in Barca's 14 games of the season. They weren't even subbed off when Barca laboured for 120 minutes in their defeat to Athletic Bilbao.
How do we rate Kounde and De Jong though? In Barca's last game against Getafe, they were effective in their respective positions. De Jong scored and Kounde gave an assist while helping Barca keep a clean sheet.
However, if we're to cast a look across the entire season we can't say De Jong and Kounde have been at their best. De Jong didn't even agree he played well against Getafe which says a lot about his season.
As for Kounde, his performances have been ever so inconsistent this season leading to talk in Spain that he might be sold.
Still, it's hard to argue that on their day, Kounde and De Jong are top-class players who can help Barca win matches. They just need to do it more regularly.
