FC Barcelona have several of their important player unavailable because of injuries ahead of a crucial phase of the 2024-25 season. Players like Ronald Araujo, Andreas Christensen, Marc Bernal, Ansu Fati, Gavi, Fermin Lopez, and Frenkie de Jong are all unavailable for Flick for the upcoming match against Girona.
Some of these players, particularly Ronald Araujo and Andreas Christensen will need a significant period of time before they can return to the field. However, other players like Ansu Fati are expected to rejoin the German tactician’s team in the coming few days.
Another player who has been out of action for some months now is also nearing his return as Mundo Deportivo reports that Frenkie de Jong is having some very good sensations during his individual training sessions. The player himself has confirmed this to the Barcelona technical staff and Flick is now planning to reintroduce him to group training next week.
Currently, the €70m-rated player is working with trainers and physiotherapists on an individual level, working mainly on sprints, turns, ball control, and passing exercises. He has not felt any problems in these exercises, and the next step for him is to start working with the group.
He will first start partially participating in group training sessions, as Gavi and Fati have done in recent days, and then start completing full sessions if everything goes all right. Only after this will he get the green light from the medical department to start playing games.
It has been five months since Frenkie last stepped on the pitch. His latest injury came during the match between Barcelona and Real Madrid when Federico Valverde hit his foot. This challenge resulted in the third injury on this part of the foot for Frenkie, and he was unable to participate in the rest of the La Liga matches and in the EURO 2024 because of this injury.
