Ronald Koeman has once again been in the spotlight in relation to FC Barcelona. Why? The former coach of the Blaugrana team and current national team coach of the Netherlands has once again spoken about the recovery from the sprained right ankle of Frenkie de Jong, which kept him out of action for at least five months. The Dutchman only returned to the Barcelona squad on October 1 for the match between the Catalan side and BSC Young Boys (5-0) in the UEFA Champions League.
Just like on previous occasions, Koeman offered a less than optimistic prognosis regarding the injury of the Dutch midfielder. Despite having received medical clearance and having played a few minutes against the Swiss team in the Champions League (9') and in LaLiga against Deportivo Alavés (15'), Ronald stated that De Jong is still not fully recovered. "I spoke with him (Frenkie) on the phone last week and, with all due respect, he is still too far away. He played a bit and got scared. It was tough for him," he warned.
Fortunately, although Koeman asserted that De Jong is on track to regain his best physical and footballing form, it is evident that he still has a long way to go to reach his optimal playing rhythm. The Dutch coach commented: "Frenkie needs to find his rhythm and be one hundred percent fit, and I think he still has a way to go."
Ronald Koeman's Gesture to Aid Frenkie de Jong's Recovery
However, despite Frenkie de Jong receiving medical clearance and being able to be called up for the 'Oranje', Koeman, in line with his statements, has decided not to call him up for the matches in the October FIFA international break where the Netherlands will face Hungary (11/10) and Germany (14/10) in the UEFA Nations League, Group C. This will give the Arkel native more time to prepare without too much pressure and recover fully.
Furthermore, it is evident that Barcelona will likely take precautions not to pressure the Dutch player too much, carefully managing his return to action, dosing his minutes on the field, and avoiding immediately giving him a starting position. They understand that a player who has been injured for more than five months must gradually reintegrate into competition without pressure to avoid setbacks.