Frenkie de Jong suffers a muscle injury and will be out for five to six weeks

Barcelona. – FC Barcelona’s Dutch midfielder, Frenkie de Jong, suffers an injury to the distal biceps of his right leg, sustained during training this Thursday, the blaugrana entity officially reported.

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The estimated recovery time ranges from five to six weeks, a significant setback for the team led by German coach Hansi Flick, especially in the decisive phase of the season.

Matches to be missed

The Dutch international’s absence will prevent him from playing at least seven official matches. These include:

• The second leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final against Atlético de Madrid**.
• The round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League, where the Catalan team will face Newcastle United or Paris Saint-Germain, as determined by the draw.
• LaLiga matches against Villarreal CF, Athletic Club, Sevilla FC and Rayo Vallecano, as well as a probable league match against Atlético.

Midfield Adjustment

The absence of De Jong represents a significant loss in the midfield structure, where he has been a regular alongside Pedri in the creation of play. With the Canary Islander already recovered, Flick will have to rely on alternatives such as Marc Bernal, Eric García or Marc Casadó to reinforce the double pivot. The club is also keeping Gavi and Danish defender Andreas Christensen in the recovery process, which further complicates the planning of the German coach. This is De Jong’s second physical setback of the season, having already suffered a muscle injury with the Netherlands national team last September. The blaugrana medical team will continue to evaluate the player’s progress in the coming weeks with the hope that he can rejoin the team in the final stretch of the season.