Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong Sidelined for Remainder of Season with Ankle Injury

Barcelona’s midfield maestro, Frenkie de Jong, will play no further part in the current season after the club confirmed on Monday that he suffered an ankle sprain during the recent El Clasico clash in La Liga. The 26-year-old Dutch international’s absence is a setback for Barcelona, but there’s a silver lining as he is expected to recover in time for Euro 2024 this summer. Spanish media reports suggest that De Jong could be out of action for approximately five weeks due to the injury.

Barcelona stated in a release, “Tests conducted on Monday have revealed that Frenkie de Jong has sustained a sprained right ankle.” It did not specify the exact duration of his recovery period.

De Jong’s injury occurred just before halftime in Real Madrid’s 3-2 victory over Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu, following a challenge by Federico Valverde. This setback marks the third time De Jong has suffered an ankle injury this season, having recently returned to action on April 10th after his previous injury layoff.

Despite the disappointment of missing the remainder of Barcelona’s campaign, De Jong can take solace in the prospect of representing the Netherlands at Euro 2024. The Dutch national team is scheduled to play tune-up friendlies against Canada and Iceland on June 6th and 10th, respectively, before the European Championship kicks off on June 14th.

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In Euro 2024, Ronald Koeman’s Netherlands squad faces a challenging path in Group D, alongside formidable opponents such as France, Poland, and Austria. De Jong will be eager to feature in the team’s opening match against Poland, led by his Barcelona teammate Robert Lewandowski, on June 16th.

Barcelona’s defeat in the recent Clasico clash against Real Madrid has left them trailing by 11 points behind the La Liga leaders, adding to the disappointment of De Jong’s injury blow. However, with his expected recovery in sight, De Jong will be aiming to make a strong return and contribute to both club and country in the near future.