FC Barcelona are in one of their best moments in the last five seasons. The start to this season has been exemplary and the fact that they were able to break their winless jinx against Bayern Munich midweek means the spirits are at an all-time high.
El Clasico is right around the corner, and while one might want to keep expectations in check, Hansi Flick’s men head to the Santiago Bernabeu with high hopes and a general feeling that they should walk away with all three points.
However, it’s now time to look slightly ahead to November when the third international break of the season will be upon us. Barcelona have had a fairly decent trade with these breaks so far this season with no major injuries but the trauma of the past will always be in the minds of the fans.
Thus, Barcelona will be happy if one of their players is not called up to international duty and that is the case right now. As per OnsOranje via X [Netherlands], midfield star Frenkie de Jong has not been included in Ronald Koeman’s provisional squad.
De Jong is just returning from a long-term injury and it comes as no surprise that he hasn’t been called up considering he is yet to make a start for Barcelona. Koeman would have surely held conversations with the player and decided that it wasn’t worth it.
The Dutch midfielder will want to ensure he doesn’t overdo it like last time and suffer a relapse. Just like Koeman, Hansi Flick is also being extremely cautious with his return to the field. However, his cameos off the bench have been top-notch, to say the least.
Against Bayern, Frenkie brought a heightened level of control to the team upon his introduction. Alongside Pedri and Marc Casado, the trio commanded the game, and there were moments in the second half where Flick’s side looked as if they were facing a local league team.
The 27-year-old Barcelona captain must be in contention to start in the coming weeks and that will give everyone a clearer picture of where things stand with regards to his fitness. Sense has prevailed with leaving him out of the international squad and let’s wait and see how his recovery progresses.
