Frenkie de Jong has taken a significant step forward in his rehabilitation program after returning to individual ball work on grass, completing high-intensity drills without experiencing pain in his injured right knee.
The Dutch midfielder has yet to rejoin full group training, continuing individualized conditioning under the close supervision of Barcelona’s medical staff, with a comprehensive reassessment scheduled at the conclusion of the international break.
De Jong has been sidelined since sustaining an internal lateral ligament tear in his right knee during the World Cup. Barcelona opted for a conservative non-surgical treatment plan to manage the injury.
The player revealed that the Netherlands national team medical staff initially diagnosed the injury as minor, assuring him that continued play would not aggravate the damage. However, after featuring against Tunisia and Morocco, subsequent tests performed by Barcelona revealed structural damage far more severe than the initial assessment suggested.
The midfielder has missed all of Barcelona’s official fixtures since the start of the season. Consequently, the club has deliberately avoided setting a firm return date to prevent potential setbacks following his extended absence.
The latest progress indicates De Jong could re-enter group sessions within two to three weeks, presenting a slim possibility of inclusion in the squad to face Getafe on October 10, preceding crucial encounters against Galatasaray, Real Betis, and Paris Saint-Germain.
With El Clásico against Real Madrid scheduled for Sunday, October 25 at 9:00 PM local time at Spotify Camp Nou, De Jong has roughly four weeks to complete his physical integration.
Featuring in El Clásico remains a realistic objective provided he transitions into collective training pain-free. However, a starting role will depend heavily on his match fitness and rhythm after missing the entirety of the season’s opening phase.
