Barcelona may face a crucial setback ahead of their match against Sevilla, with Frenkie de Jong’s availability now in doubt due to muscle discomfort, Soccernet.football understands.
According to a report by AdriaAlbets, the Dutch midfielder’s latest issue is unrelated to the ankle injury that sidelined him for over five months.
Despite his recovery from that long-term setback, de Jong is now dealing with this fresh muscle problem, which could rule him out of the squad for the upcoming match.
Barcelona’s medical team is expected to make a final decision tomorrow, assessing the player’s condition before determining his fitness to play.
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick had planned to start de Jong against Sevilla, but his preparations were disrupted after the midfielder had to leave a training session early due to the discomfort.
“We have to see him tomorrow. He felt some discomfort yesterday, he started with the group today but then he was sidelined. I wanted to start him but we’ll see,” Flick explained in his pre-match press conference.
With de Jong having only just returned to action—making brief substitute appearances in Barcelona’s recent UEFA Champions League clash with Young Boys and the match against Alaves—there is a concern about rushing him back too soon.
Caution is needed given his recent injury history, and Flick will likely leave de Jong out of the squad if any doubt remains about his fitness.
While Sevilla is a critical fixture for Barcelona, ensuring de Jong avoids further injury setbacks will be the top priority for the team’s medical and coaching staff.
