FC Barcelona is facing a major challenge as they prepare for the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final against Atletico Madrid, with Frenkie de Jong confirmed to be sidelined for the match.
The Dutch midfielder is in recovery from a muscle injury he sustained during training in late February, an issue that has kept him out of action for over a month.
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Cautious Approach with De Jong
As reported by SPORT, De Jong is eager to speed up his recovery and return to the pitch, but the club is taking a conservative stance on his fitness.
The Blaugrana kicked off the week with a full training session involving all fit players as they gear up for Wednesday’s match at the Spotify Camp Nou against Atletico. However, De Jong has been training separately, further indicating that he won’t be ready for the first leg, a situation that complicates the strategy for head coach Hansi Flick.
Although De Jong is keen to push himself, Barcelona’s priority remains to prevent any setbacks during this critical period of the season, as the team competes in both the Champions League and La Liga.
Barcelona is taking no chances with De Jong’s fitness. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
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If his recovery continues to progress well, the Netherlands international may have the opportunity to play a few minutes in the La Liga derby against RCD Espanyol this weekend.
Nonetheless, the team’s main goal is to ensure De Jong is available for the second leg of the quarter-final against Atletico Madrid at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano next week.
Additional Notable Absences
De Jong’s absence is further exacerbated by the injury of Marc Bernal, who is also sidelined due to an ankle sprain. His return is also anticipated for the second leg in Madrid.
This leaves Flick with limited options in the holding midfield position, with Eric Garcia likely stepping up as a key choice. The German coach has not leaned heavily on Marc Casado throughout the season, which limits his options even further.
Other confirmed absentees include Raphinha, who has just returned from Brazil to start his recovery, and Andreas Christensen.