Barcelona have been dealt a major setback ahead of the new season after confirming that Frenkie de Jong has suffered a tear of the medial collateral ligament (MCL) in his right knee, with fresh reports suggesting the midfielder believes the injury could have been avoided.
According to journalist Victor Nahe on COPE, De Jong holds the Netherlands national team medical staff responsible after being assured during the FIFA World Cup that the problem was only minor.
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Trusting that assessment, the Barcelona midfielder continued playing despite persistent discomfort, only to discover after returning to Spain that the damage was considerably worse than first believed.
The diagnosis leaves Barcelona without one of their most influential midfielders and raises fresh questions over how the injury was managed during the tournament.
Medical tests reveal full extent of De Jong’s injury
Barcelona have officially confirmed that De Jong sustained a tear of the MCL in his right knee following further examinations at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper.
De Jong played the World Cup with a knee injury. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
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The club’s medical statement revealed that the Dutch international will begin conservative treatment over the coming weeks while specialists monitor his recovery.
Surgery has not been scheduled at this stage, although that decision will depend on how the knee responds during rehabilitation.
This setback is expected to keep De Jong out for between five and six months, a timeline that could rule him out for the entire first half of the 2026/27 campaign.
It is a significant blow for Hansi Flick, who had expected the midfielder to play a central role in Barcelona’s plans this season.
De Jong holds the Netherlands responsible
Frenkie de Jong will be out for the first half of the 2026/27 season. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)
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Victor Nahe reports that De Jong feels the injury escalated because he was advised by the Dutch national team that the issue was not serious enough to prevent him from playing.
Believing it was a manageable problem, the midfielder continued to feature during the tournament despite experiencing pain.
It was only after returning to Barcelona and undergoing more detailed medical examinations that the true extent of the damage became clear.
That sequence of events has left the former Ajax midfielder frustrated with how the injury was assessed during the World Cup, with the national team’s medical staff now facing scrutiny over their handling of the situation.
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