Wout Weghorst’s Camp Nou debut was a very enjoyable one for him. On a visit to Barcelona, the thirty-year-old striker from Manchester United played an unusual role in midfield for him in order to disrupt the build-up of the Catalans as much as possible.
And so Weghorst played a part in an exciting match between two European superpowers. “This was a game at a high level,” the international responded, who commented on his remarkable role afterwards at ESPN. The 1 meter 97 tall attacker played in the back of Marcus Rashford, who took the position of striker. “Last week I got into that position for the first time during the race in the last half hour. I think he (Erik ten Hag) was satisfied, because I heard that I would play in midfield,” Weghorst said with a telling smile.
With his running ability, Weghorst had to try to get in the way of fellow international Frenkie de Jong and the other midfielders of Barcelona as much as possible. “They are very important for them to shift the game, my job was to constantly get in their way and be annoying there so that they don’t get into their game and can play the way they like to do. And to be able to make my depth actions offensively from the second line, because they are vulnerable in that. You saw that in the first half,” he referred to his big chance.
Weghorst, an 1.97 m number 10
Weghorst came face to face with Marc-André ter Stegen in the first half, but failed to get the ball past the Barcelona goalkeeper. Naturally, he regretted his missed opportunity. “Then you have to reward yourself, that’s a pity. You know you always get a moment. It just has to go in, that’s a shame’, said Weghorst, who nevertheless enjoyed Camp Nou. ‘I had never been there, I only wanted to come here if I could also play football. It was a special day, I did enjoy it, it was beautiful,” Weghorst concluded with a smile on his face.
Frenkie de Jong is not satisfied with Barcelona’s draw in the Europa League match against Manchester United. The Catalans fought back from behind, but should have kept more control, according to the midfielder.
Surprisingly, De Jong faced Wout Weghorst in midfield. Manager Erik ten Hag put the Dutchman in the number 10 position. “Wout already said to me before the game in the tunnel: ‘I’m in midfield, so I’m going to get in your way.’ He did a good job,” De Jong laughed. “Most of the time I was busy with Fred. Did I expect it? Normally he is a striker, but now on 10.”
