Barcelona got absolutely slammed with some rough news right before the new season even kicks off. They’ve confirmed star midfielder Frenkie de Jong has suffered a tear of the medial collateral ligament, an MCL tear, in his right knee. It’s a huge blow. But here’s the real gut punch: fresh reports are flying around that De Jong himself believes this whole devastating setback could have been totally avoided. Can you believe that?
The National Team’s Costly “Minor” Call
Journalist Victor Nahe on COPE dropped the bombshell, reporting that De Jong is holding the Netherlands national team’s medical staff squarely responsible for this mess. Picture this: it was during the FIFA World Cup, and De Jong was apparently assured the problem with his knee was just minor. Minor! Trusting that assessment, the Barcelona midfielder reportedly kept on playing, pushing through what he thought was just persistent discomfort. We’ve all played through some pain, right? But for an elite athlete, you trust the docs. Only after he got back to Spain and went through more serious checks did the real, brutal truth come out: the damage was considerably worse than anyone first believed. It leaves you wondering how something so crucial could be so misdiagnosed on such a big stage.
Half a Season Gone, Barcelona’s Plans Derailed
The official word from Barcelona’s medical team, after examinations at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper, confirmed the MCL tear. They’re starting with conservative treatment, monitoring his recovery over the coming weeks. No surgery is on the books right now, but that decision hangs in the balance, depending on how his knee responds to rehab. This isn’t a quick fix, either. This setback is expected to sideline De Jong for a whopping five to six months. That timeline basically rules him out for the entire first half of the 2026/27 campaign. Think about that for a second! For manager Hansi Flick, who surely had De Jong penciled in as a central figure for Barcelona’s season, this isn’t just a setback. It’s a complete gutting of his early plans.
So, De Jong feels the injury escalated because of bad advice from the Dutch national team. He played through pain, believing it was manageable, only to find out the real extent back home. This whole situation is a massive headache for Barcelona, taking away one of their most influential midfielders for half a season, and it’s putting a huge spotlight on the national team’s medical staff. It just goes to show you, sometimes the biggest battles are fought off the field, and in this case, it might cost Barcelona big time.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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