The absence of Frenkie de Jong at Barcelona is noticeable. Xavi mentioned on Monday that it's a significant loss that the 26-year-old midfielder is currently sidelined due to an ankle injury for the champions of Spain, and the statistics support that.
Since his arrival at Barcelona in 2019, De Jong has missed a total of sixteen official matches due to injuries, of which the Catalans have only won six. This is accompanied by seven draws and three losses, resulting in a modest win percentage of 37.5%.
Spanish media are therefore talking about a slump in Barcelona's performance when De Jong is not playing. Matches that the Dutch international missed due to suspensions or because he was rested are not included in this count. Now, they face another period without the key midfielder.
On Monday, during his press briefing, Xavi announced that he will only assess De Jong's recovery after the international break. The likelihood of the former Ajax player being available for the El Clásico against Real Madrid on October 28th seems very slim, regardless.
Whether Frenkie's absence means that Pedri will return to Barcelona sooner, Xavi did not say. 'Pedri is doing well, but we have to see how soon he will be back. It entirely depends on how he feels. We have plenty of other options.'
And the Barça coach will urgently need those in the coming period. Before the international break, the Catalans have three league matches and one Champions League match. After the break, they face Athletic Bilbao, Shakhtar Donetsk, and of course, Real Madrid.
