Frenkie de Jong has sustained an injury and is expected to be sidelined for at least one month, bringing Hansi Flick’s good mood to an abrupt end today. The German coach had been quietly delighted at the impending return of his midfield pairing of De Jong and Pedri, as he prepared for a string of upcoming critical fixtures. That hope was instantly shattered on the training pitch this Thursday.
The Netherlands international was forced to leave the training session early after suffering severe pain in the back of his thigh during the morning session. News following the initial examination was even more concerning: he has been diagnosed with a hamstring tendon tear, ruling him out for a minimum of one month.
Hansi Flick’s face was etched with disappointment when he was informed of the devastating news. The German manager will be without one of his midfield linchpins for the foreseeable future, meaning he will be unable to call on the Dutch core for the upcoming Copa del Rey semi-finals and the Champions League Last 16 knockout ties. The only silver lining is that Pedri is expected to feature for around 60 minutes in Saturday’s match against Villarreal.
With De Jong sidelined, Flick will be forced to turn to Bernal, Casado and even Garcia to partner Pedri in midfield. Saturday’s clash with Villarreal will be the first major test in the wake of De Jong’s absence.
De Jong’s injury is the latest setback to befall Barcelona boss Hansi Flick. In recent weeks, Flick had been able to call on a fully fit squad for the first time, with the sole exception of Andreas Christensen. However, the Dutchman’s injury has once again left a huge void in the midfield, just after the club welcomed Pedri back from injury in the match against Levante.
If the initial diagnosis is confirmed, De Jong will miss a total of seven upcoming matches across all competitions, and will also be unavailable for the Netherlands national team’s call-up for the next international break.
The full list of matches he is set to miss includes: the second leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final against Atlético Madrid, both legs of the Champions League Last 16 tie against either Paris Saint-Germain or Newcastle United, as well as a host of crucial La Liga fixtures against Villarreal, Athletic Club, Sevilla and Rayo Vallecano.
