Why was Frenkie de Jong substituted at halftime against Osasuna? This was the reason

The spectacular victory of FC Barcelona against Osasuna (3-0) left a bittersweet taste in the mouths of Barcelona fans. Despite earning three points that give them sole leadership in LaLiga, the azulgranas suffered the painful loss of Dani Olmo, who had to be substituted during the first half due to a muscle problem after scoring the second goal of the night from the penalty spot.

As if that weren't enough, alarm bells rang again at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys at halftime, as Hansi Flick made the decision to substitute Frenkie de Jong for Pablo Torre in midfield. A change that suggested that something was not quite right with the Dutchman, who played a masterful 45 minutes.

However, despite the existing concern in the Catalan capital, journalist Helena Condis explained after the match that the '21' blaugrana was relegated to the bench due to a muscle overload and ruled out any serious injury, revealing that the player's substitution was made as a precaution.

Flick hopes to have De Jong against Girona

The number of matches that Barça players are exposed to and the little rest time they have has been a topic of debate in recent days. Frenkie, for example, totaled 179 minutes in the tie against Spain in the quarterfinals of the Nations League (74 in the first leg and 105 in the second leg), which is why Flick must carefully manage the minute load of his players.

De Jong has become a key player for the German coach, establishing himself as the chief of the engine room after the injury of Marc Casadó. The player left his mark against Osasuna, leading the play of the first goal with a wall pass to Ferran Torres and providing the penultimate pass for Balde, who assisted the Valencian.

Now, it remains to be seen what decision Flick makes regarding the midfielder, as he may need rest to avoid any minimal risk of a possible injury. "It's not like the case of Dani Olmo, I think he will be able to play on Sunday. We have to wait, but it looks good", explained the German after the match against the rojillos, so it seems that the player will be present against Girona.