At FC Barcelona, they continue to eagerly await the official return of Frenkie de Jong to action with the team. It is worth noting that while the Dutchman is already actively participating in the training sessions of the Blaugrana squad, to which he integrated on September 16 and appears fully recovered from his injury (severe grade II ankle sprain in his right ankle), he has not yet received medical clearance, so there is no certainty regarding when he will be eligible to be officially called up and be available for Hansi Flick.
In that sense, as expected, the German coach was questioned in the press conference prior to the match against CA Osasuna about his feelings regarding the complete recovery of the Arkel native. It had been recently mentioned that the former Ajax player could be called up for the duel against the Navarrese team. However, despite the German coach providing good news about the physical condition of the talented Dutch midfielder, his statements have hinted at the possibility that Frenkie de Jong may not be included in the squad against Osasuna.
"What I have seen in training I have liked. Gavi is also recovering well, he is in a good moment. In Frenkie's case, he is close to being recovered to help us. It is reassuring to see him. I think he will take a day off tomorrow. He has trained a lot and needs time to recover," Flick commented.
By evaluating the words of the Barcelona coach, it can be inferred that despite the Dutchman being available, he may not be able to perform at his maximum capacity. Therefore, they will not rush his return but will proceed with caution in this regard. "The issue is not a regular week for him; he is an experienced player, he can help us even if he plays 20 minutes, but we need to see how he progresses. We will evaluate him next week," he concluded.
Will Frenkie de Jong be available for Barcelona's next match?
With this in mind, the question that has circulated in the Catalan capital on more than one occasion, particularly given the shortage of midfielders facing the Barça squad, is: When will Frenkie de Jong return? At this point, everything depends on the sensations that the '21' is experiencing; however, it remains to be seen if the German coach will be able to count on him for the match against Young Boys, valid for Matchday 2 of the UEFA Champions League and scheduled for Tuesday, October 1.
Undoubtedly, his inclusion would be a valuable addition to the culé squad, although he may need to regain match fitness before being a starter. The certainty of being able to rely on him as a dependable alternative will not only strengthen the team but will also be a crucial leadership amidst a shortage of assets in the midfield.
Flick also spoke about the recovery of Marc Bernal
In another line of analysis but related to the injured culé players in the midfield of Barcelona, Hansi Flick, when asked about his perception regarding how Marc Bernal is doing, expressed positive feelings about the state of the Berga native midfielder and how he sees his recovery process. "When you are injured at this age, at first you think it's all over, but now he is showing positivity and has to go through a long recovery journey," he concluded.