"Frenkie de Jong is still recovering from a muscle injury, sustained in a training session late in February, that has kept him out for over a month."
"Despite his willingness to push himself, the priority for Barcelona is to avoid any relapse during a decisive stage of the season, with the team still competing for both the Champions League and La Liga."
"De Jong's absence is compounded by that of Marc Bernal, who has also been ruled out of the upcoming match after sustaining an ankle sprain."
"This leaves Flick with limited options in the holding midfield role, with Eric Garcia emerging as the primary solution."
Frenkie de Jong is recovering from a muscle injury sustained in February and will miss the first leg against Atletico Madrid. Barcelona is taking a cautious approach to his recovery, prioritizing his long-term fitness over immediate return. De Jong's absence complicates head coach Hansi Flick's plans, as he is also without Marc Bernal due to an ankle sprain. Other absentees include Raphinha and Andreas Christensen, leaving limited options in midfield. De Jong may return for the second leg next week if his recovery progresses well.
Read at Barca Universal
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