After five months, Frenkie de Jong is finally back from injury and available for Barcelona's upcoming Champions League fixture against Young Boys.
The 27-year-old sustained an ankle injury during El Clásico on Apr. 21 and has not played for club or country since. Just when it looked like De Jong would represent the Netherlands at Euro 2024, the midfielder suffered a setback and missed the entire competition, as well as Barcelona's first nine fixtures of the 2024–25 season.
Amid an injury crisis, Barcelona is set to welcome De Jong back to the pitch. Hansi Flick confirmed the Dutchman's status in today's press conference.
"If Frenkie gets the chance to play, he will," Flick said. "I don’t know if [it will be 45 minutes], 20 or 10. It will be good for him, in my opinion. And it’s great news for us to have Frenkie in the team."
De Jong returned to training two weeks ago and recently revealed his excitement to end his lengthy spell on the sidelines and contribute to Barcelona. "We're playing well," he said. "There's a good atmosphere on the field, so I'm really eager to be part of that."
De Jong's return comes at a crucial time for Barcelona. The Catalans just lost their first La Liga game of the season against Osasuna and now face a critical Champions League match against Young Boys. After losing to Monaco in its UCL opener, Barcelona needs to secure three points to get its European campaign back on track.
Plus, Flick's side lacks midfield depth. Dani Olmo, Marc Bernal, Gavi and Fermín López are all still out due to injury and Eric García must serve his suspension for receiving a red card against Monaco.
If De Jong gets minutes against Young Boys, expect the midfielder to feature off the bench on Tuesday, Oct. 1.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Frenkie de Jong Available for Barcelona's UCL Match vs. Young Boys.
