The Dutchman is about to return to the team after a month and a half away from the playing fields due to injury
The offensive game of Xavi’s group has greatly noticed his absence
Frenkie de Jong was injured on September 23 against Celta. He suffered an injury to the distal tibiopereonal syndesmosis of his right ankle that kept him out for a month and a half. The Dutchman has now healed his injury and everything indicates that he will be discharged this week. He did not have a good feeling to be included in the squad against Real Madrid, but it is very likely that he will have minutes in Anoeta, even if it is in the second half.
Xavi awaits his return with open arms. The Dutchman is key in the construction of the team’s game. Because of his vision of the game, because of his ability to overcome lines of pressure and because of his leadership. Before the injury, he formed a good partnership with Oriol Romeu at the base of the play. In fact, Ulldecona’s player has not been the player who performed so well at the beginning of the season since he did not have De Jong by his side, having even lost the starting position.
That without De Jong Barça loses fluidity in the game is demonstrated by the numbers. The Dutchman participated in the first six league games, with five wins and a draw for Xavi’s team.in Getafe on the first day of the League. Without him on the field, Barça has, in La Liga, one defeat, two draws and two victories. The two wins have been achieved by the minimum (1-0) thanks to the saving goals from Sergio Ramos in his own goal against Sevilla and from Marc Guiu against Athletic.
De Jong, Barça player
| VALENTI ENRICH
In the Champions League, De Jong participated in the rout against Antwerp (5-0), while without him, Barça has been able to win in Porto and against Shakhtar Donetsk, although resolving both matches by the minimum.
The renewal
That De Jong is essential for Xavi and for the team’s play is evident and the entity’s new sports director knows this. That is why Deco has been monitoring the Dutchman’s recovery and has polled the player about his future intentions. Frenkie has a contract with Barça until June 30, 2026 and Barça wants him to renew it throughout this season. Deco has already let him know that he is the cornerstone of the project and has smoothed out rough edges about everything that happened in the summer of 2022, when the previous sports management opted to sell the player to Manchester United, even threatening to denounce his contract. De Jong refused to leave, but both he and his representative ended up very upset with the club. That discomfort has been disappearing with the change of actors with whom to negotiate.