The Catalans have to keep playing without their key midfielder for a few more weeks.
Barcelona star Frenkie de Jong is reportedly expected to remain sidelined until the end of November.
De Jong has been absent from the pitch since late September, when he suffered an ankle injury during the first half of a match against Celta Vigo. The anticipation had been building for his potential return against Real Madrid last week, but Barcelona chose not to risk his recovery due to lingering discomfort.
De Jong was also notably missing from the squad list for the recent away game against Real Sociedad.
Now, as reported by SPORT, it appears that De Jong will miss several upcoming matches, including those against Shakhtar Donetsk and Deportivo Alaves.
Barcelona is exercising caution in their approach to his rehabilitation, ensuring he is entirely free of discomfort before making a return. The current plan is for the Netherlands international to rejoin the team after the international break when Barcelona faces Rayo Vallecano on November 25.
On Friday, manager Xavi Hernandez said of De Jong and Pedri’s situations: “Pedri has a good feeling, but Frenkie hasn’t yet. He has tried but he is in pain.”
Despite initial hopes for a mid-November return, it now seems De Jong’s comeback will be postponed until the latter part of the month.
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