Frenkie de Jong faces months out after major knee ligament tear
The worst fears were confirmed for the Dutch midfielder, who will not return to the field of play until 2027.
Frenkie de Jong received the worst possible news on Thursday: the Dutch midfielder has suffered a complete tear of the medial collateral ligament in his right knee, an injury that will almost certainly require surgery and keep him sidelined for five to six months.
According to reporting from AS, Barcelona does not expect him back on the field of play until January 2027 at the earliest.
A crushing blow for Flick
For Hansi Flick, the setback is enormous. De Jong is one of the pillars of Barça’s midfield, and losing him overnight forces the club to rethink its rotation. Deco and the sporting committee must now reassess their plans — including the potential transfer of Marc Casadó — though the defensive‑midfield role is relatively well covered with Marc Bernal, Eric García, Gavi, and even Xavi Espart or Andreas Christensen as emergency options.
Barcelona furious over how the injury was handled
Inside the club, there is shock — and anger — over how the situation unfolded with the Dutch national team. According to AS, Barça is convinced De Jong played injured in the Netherlands’ last match against Morocco, staying on the field for 110 minutes and even receiving a pre‑game injection to mask the pain.
Barcelona was not informed of any of this at the time.
The frustration grew when De Jong unexpectedly showed up at the Ciutat Esportiva on July 13 to speak with Flick and undergo initial tests. His knee was so inflamed that doctors couldn’t complete the evaluation, forcing them to delay the full scan by four days. Even then, early signs pointed toward ligament damage.
On Friday, the diagnosis was confirmed: a full MCL tear requiring surgical intervention and a long recovery.
A failure on multiple fronts
Within the locker room, there is a clear sense of negligence. Players and staff believe:
- The Dutch coach knowingly kept De Jong on the field during extra time despite the injury.
- The medical staff allowed him to play without proper safeguards.
- De Jong himself pushed beyond his limits, even though he understood the risks.
In a World Cup, Barça understands that players sometimes take risks — but only when those risks are professionally managed. In this case, they believe the oversight simply wasn’t there.
One small consolation
Barcelona will receive financial compensation from FIFA. Because De Jong’s injury is classified as long‑term (more than four months), the club is eligible for up to €3 million in indemnity payments.
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